Inkfire
by irish33cm
Summary: Dustfinger and Ann have been read out of 'Inkheart' for a year, and Dustfinger has gone to find Silvertongue to help Ann and him escape the clutches of Capricorn. Capricorn, as well as Dustfinger both have their sights on the girl. DustfingerXOCXCapricorn
1. Chapter 1

Ok, so I'm rewriting the first couple of chapters. I've reread them and noticed a couple of mistakes that I had to fix otherwise I would feel that I have failed as a writer lol. Anyway, lemme make this straight-The Capricorn in the movie, is not what 'MY' Capricorn looks like. I'm not gonna have some chunky, bald, wise cracking man play my character. No, my Capricorn has a short hair cut, very light blonde, almost white looking, with very pale eyes, pale skin, at least 6'5, Lean but has muscle (he doesnt look like it though), loves to wears suits, and he has powers. It will tell later on in this chapter (maybe the second...I cant remember) But the plot is going to show itself. Anywho,

Enjoy!

* * *

"I can't believe he left me…" she sighed.

It's been almost a year since Dustfinger and Ann were read out of a 'book' and into a world that made everything dizzy and fast. She had been alright on her own, but a few times she almost got herself killed.

Ann sighed, still thinking about the past.

She stopped riding the metal two wheeled thing called a bike. It was lying beside an old shed In Capricorns village. She would have preferred to walk in any other situation, but she had no choice due to the face she had to escape quickly. The first time she actually tried ridding the contraption she fell constantly, giving her nothing but bruises and a sore butt for her effort. But after the tenth fall, she finally got the hang of it, and rode as fast as she could out of the village.  
"Oh well. At least Dustfinger is safe wherever he is. I don't know what I would do if he got hurt and I wasn't there to help him."  
She knew that Dustfinger knew his way around this world better than she did. He even knew how to earn a living.

Ann, only 16, was what any person in the non-Inkworld would call an average teenager. She had a black shirt with a white cross that took up the entire shirt, dark torn jeans, a pair of boots, and brown hair with a tinge of red in it. She had to acquire the look of the children her age when she came to the non-Inkworld. It was all she could do to help her try and get away from Capricorn. Although she would've preferred her fire eater's outfit to the clothes she wore now, any day.

With Dustfinger, she felt like she could live without fear, now with her only friend gone, she felt small in the big world. Small and alone.

"What I don't get is that, he knew I was with Basta and Capricorn. So why did he just abandon me like that?" Ann rubbed her head in frustration, nothing seemed right anymore.  
All of a sudden she heard the sound of gravel crunching on the road. Ann turned her head around to face the road, a road that only a certain few knew about, the few she didn't want to meet. A silver Lamborghini was whipping around the corner of the road.  
"No!"

She ditched the bike and slowly backed away, her body shaking in fear. The car pulled up to a slow stop not to far away from her. The car just sat there for a while, as if it was waiting for something. For as long as she was in Capricorns Village she wouldn't have to look at the driver to know who the car belonged to. Because she knew that the owner of that car would go no where unless he was driven in one of the most extravagant cars his men stole.  
The passenger and back left car door opened making the silence break, as the un-oiled doors creaked open.

_Not again. I will not be captured again and taken back to that damned village._

She didn't hesitate any longer. As soon as Ann heard the doors slam shut she was already making a head start down the road.

_They'll catch up to me soon, I know his men, and I know that they love a good chase._

Not as soon as her thoughts ended, she heard footsteps coming up behind her. As the footsteps got closer and closer she tried to run faster to get away. But to no avail.  
"On no you don't princess!"

Ann felt two strong arms come around her shoulders and pin her arms to her sides. The kicking option wasn't available due to the fact that she got her feet knock out from under her.  
She went tumbling to the ground, with Basta on top of her, laughing as she struggled. The wind was knocked out of her but she used up the air she had left to yell.  
"Ahhhh! Let me go Basta. LET ME GO!"

He merely laughed and whispered next to her ear,  
"Why should I? I mean after all, if I let you go, you would just run away again and get me into even more trouble. I think I should just strangle that pretty little neck of yours. But I can't, Capricorn doesn't want you harmed. And I have a little soft spot for you anyhow." He chuckled as if amused by a joke.  
"Lucky me" she mumbled under her breath.

She didn't want Basta crushing the remaining air that she hade in her lungs.  
Basta picked Ann up and set her onto her feet and forced her to walk towards the car.  
She walked as slowly as she could to the car, not too eager to go back to Capricorns Village.

Basta was constantly talking and complaining for how long it took for them to come after her. So she got a good whiff of his peppermint breathe. But she soon forgot the peppermint and now concentrated on Capricorns now glaring colorless eyes.

Memories of when she first met the man flooded into her head. The cruel things he did, the people he killed, and the people he took her from. No, she would not endure that again.  
Ann thought of all the options she had left to escape. But all ended with me getting the wind knocked out of her again. So her last plan was all she had left. It was either this, or go back to Capricorn.  
Ann bit down hard on Basta's arm as hard as she could, blood filling her mouth and making her choke with its metallic taste. It was worth it though, because Basta let Ann go.  
"Aggggh! You little wench of a fire-eater." He screamed while throwing Ann away from him.  
"Take that you stupid black jacket!" She yelled as she ran off again, almost tumbling because of the strength of the shove.  
Before Ann got too far, she felt something heavy and hard hit the back of her head. The last thing she remembered hearing was Basta's laugh before darkness swept over Ann like a dark blanket.

_I'm sorry Dustfinger…I really am._

"Put her in the car Roxas. We've wasted enough time going after her. Anyway, the quicker we get her in the car, the quicker she can receive her punishment for running away from home." A soft silky voice said.

"Oh, and Basta, you might want to do something about your arm. It looks like she bites quite hard."  
Basta merely winced as he wrapped up a torn piece of his shirt around his arm. It didn't matter anyway; he was already getting excited about seeing her punishment.

Capricorn wore a black suit with a red undershirt, a black tie, white gloves, and glimmering black shiny shoes. As the leader of the Black jackets, he was the only one who didn't wear the usual attire. His clothing, as well as his entire figure, showed that he was a force to be reckoned with. Anyone who had ever been in his presence knew that if they said one wrong thing, it was their last.

Ann's head was bleeding from Basta's sheathed knife that he threw at Ann in a desperate attempt to knock her out. Even though the knife was sheathed, he threw it so hard that the blade cut through the thick leather that covered it.

Basta wanted intended harm to come to her. Which he accomplished.  
Capricorn walked up to the unconscious girl lying before him, blood trickling onto the black road. The red substance was gleaming as the moon hit it. He bent down and tenderly touched Ann's forehead, her face grimacing in pain.  
"Basta. You too shall receive a punishment. I told you that Ann was not to be harmed on the ride up here." Capricorn said these words with his back turned to now babbling Basta, somewhat amused that he made his henchmen tremble with fright.  
"But! I…I had to-." Basta stuttered before Capricorn yelled,

"SILENCE!"  
Capricorn walked up to the now trembling Basta. He stood almost a full head and a half compared to the black jacket. Although this didn't matter to either of them. One was trembling head to toe, while the other was ready to strike the impudent man.  
"I warned you and Roxas that if she were harmed in any way, then punishment would come to them. Of course you in your rage, forgot what I said and threw a KNIFE at Ann!"  
"Bu…but I didn't…it was she-" Basta's words were cut off.  
"THEN DO YOU MIND EXPLAINING HOW HER HEAD IS BLEADING? OR HOW SHE IS NOW UNCONCIOUS AND CANNOT MOVE?" Capricorn bellowed.  
Both men were shaking, Basta from fear and Capricorn from pure rage. But after a while Capricorn returned to his cold composer and took deep breathes to calm himself.  
He turned to the other black jacket that had come along with them on the ride. The boy was around five foot four, blonde hair, and he had deep blue eyes. But those eyes that once held joy, were clouded by the fear and killing that they had seen.

The boys name was Roxas. He was only thirteen, but still old enough to join the black jackets and become a member of the family.  
With that being said and done, Roxas followed the earlier orders and picked up the unconscious Ann and put her in the back seat with Capricorn following, and taking the other passenger seat.  
"Hurry up and drive back to the church. After you drop off Ann and I, go and find Dustfinger. I still have plans for our revenge against Silvertounge. In order to accomplish those plans I need Silvertounge to read us back into our world, or story should I say. And once we return to our own territory we will destroy what he took from us along with his meddlesome daughter. Fire will be our friend with Ann and Dustfinger's help." He added.

Hours later after getting Ann back and into the car, Capricorn was bored of looking at the night sky or the mountain villages from inside of the car. They were all too peaceful for his liking. So he decided to get a closer look at his fellow passenger.

Ann was a young teenager with reddish hair, almost like Dustfingers. She was at least five foot six with light tan skin. With him being six foot seven, she seemed so small. Her attire was something he saw other teenagers her age wearing, but it appalled him all the same. Without the dislike of the clothes, she was beautiful in his eyes. But the most favorite thing that Capricorn liked about this fire-eater was her eyes. Ann's eyes were the greenest emerald that he had ever seen. They reminded him of the Wayless Woods back in the book. The rest of her reminded him of that damned Dustfinger.

Capricorn first met the girl when she was seven. There was a carnival at Ombra at which the Adderhead insisted that he come to.

_**(Flashback)**_  
_**Young Ann was doing an act with Dustfinger on a stage that looked over the crowds of the carnival. Little Ann was to summon a flame and make it into little shapes and figures while Dustfinger made her shapes dance and twirl around them. She spotted Capricorn, his eyes transfixing hers. He could hear the words 'Dusty' said to the fire-eater. **_

_**Dustfinger spotted him and frowned. Any time Capricorn showed up, it meant something bad.  
"I have a proposition for you Dustfinger." Capricorn said after their act had long ended, while Basta and the others waited outside of the tent where the two men spoke.  
"I'll give you any amount of money you want for that little girl of yours. Just name it." **_

_**Dustfinger took no hesitation in denying Capricorn's offer.  
"No. Ann is not for sale, and any way, I wouldn't sell her to you if you were the last person on Earth."  
Capricorn was not used to being denied.  
"So, Ann is the girl's name. Quite catchy for someone so young. But I'm afraid," he continued, "That I do not take no's for an answer."  
With a snap of his fingers Basta came inside.  
"Yes sir?"  
"Grab the girl" Capricorn ordered.  
Within seconds Basta went over to the little girl and lifted her from her bed where she was resting.  
"Huh?" Ann said sleepily.  
Once she noticed that complete strangers were holding her, the first words she yelled were,  
"Daddy! Dusty!"  
The Black Prince and his bear were immediately inside of the tent at Ann and Dustfingers side, armed and dangerous.  
"Ann!" Prince yelled.  
He took out three of his deadly knives and struck Basta's back, making him drop Ann.  
"Daddy! They have Dusty!" Ann franticly yelled, pulling on the black clothes of Prince.  
"Don't worry Ann," This time Dustfinger spoke up from his silence. "I'll take care of the bad guys."  
All of a sudden flames burst on the men holding Dustfinger. He himself was engulfed in the flames; somehow it wasn't hurting him though...he looked to be a demon from hell. The way his eyes burned bright while inside the flames.**_

_**But Capricorn and Basta got away just in time.  
Prince, his bear and Dustfinger, who grabbed Ann, all ran out in the nick of time as well while the tent started to burn in the flames that helped Dustfinger. They had to get away, go somewhere where the colorless man wouldn't find them.**_

_**(End Flashback)**_

_**  
**_From that day on Capricorn vowed to get a hold of Ann, and to control her and her powers of the flame.  
Of course Dustfinger was being held against his will by other black jackets.  
As Capricorn was thinking about Ann's eyes and how he first saw them, those eyes suddenly opened.

"Owwwwwww. My head hurts" Ann mumbled. She looked around after a few seconds and then realized that she was inside the Lamborghini. But instead of shouting or yelling at Capricorn, she merely looked at the car floor and whispered,  
"Capricorn why are you taking me back? I don't know why you keep continuing to chase me. I am of no use to you, so why?" she begged pleadingly.  
After waiting a few moments for an answer, she looked up at Capricorn to find him looking at her.  
"Dear Ann," Capricorn started. "You are of more use to me than you think. And you belong to me. Everyone will soon know that. Even your dear Dustfinger."  
She couldn't believe it. Even Dustfinger was in danger and he wasn't even with her. Dustfinger was right about what he said to her the day he left. That even if she went with him, it would only make Capricorns job easier to find them and hold them captive.

She had to do something to help Dustfinger find his 'friend' he went looking for.

Ann looked around the car for anything that she could use to knock out Roxas or do something to get out. The only solution she could find was the door and the world outside. At the speed they were going, she would've surely been killed, but as the car slowed down a bit, she finally had her chance.  
She grabbed the door handle and started trying to open it, but the doors were locked. She didn't care if she got hurt jumping out of the car. She just wanted to get away from Capricorn and his black jackets.

After a few seconds of yanking at the door and fumbling with the lock, Basta caught on to what Ann was doing. He whipped around a grabbed her throat firmly.  
"Oh no you don't sweetheart! We didn't come all this way just to have you jump out of the car and hurt yourself. Now put on a damn seatbelt before I make you!" Basta yelled, releasing her throat and seeing the red marks that marred her skin.  
Basta then smirked as she reluctantly let go of the door and put on the seatbelt. The whole time she did this Ann gave Basta her most icy glare. But it didn't seem to work since he could tell she was scared. She could tell that Capricorn was examining her from the recent events, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. His colorless eyes always seemed to haunt her, even when she wasn't looking at the man.  
"You know Ann; we are probably the closest thing to your family right now." Capricorn said suddenly.  
Ann looked up, shocked at what Capricorn just said. She would never imagine him and Basta as a 'family' or any of the other black jackets.

Capricorn saw her shocked expression. Basta and Roxas's conversation died down as they started to eavesdrop on their masters words.  
"Think about it" he said, "were all alone in this world. Just you, me, Basta, and Dustfinger. Of course the others came along, but we were the first ones to arrive in this bizarre world. We all come from the same world and yet you run from us and deny us instead of joining us. Though I don't see why, I mean what is so special about Dustfinger. He left you in my arms all alone. Don't you think that was very selfish of him? Saving his own neck instead your pretty one. If I were you, I would feel very hurt right now."  
Capricorns words cut through Ann like ice. She didn't want to believe him, after all Dustfinger said he would come back for her. He promised that he would come back with help, and that she would see him again. But, still why he couldn't take her with him…  
_No! We will never be a family and I will never join him as long as I live. He took me away from Dustfinger and my true family. Even if we are all from the same world, it doesn't mean that I am alone and have to join him._

Now more than ever Ann missed Dustfinger. He was the only one that truly understood her and protected her from any danger.

_**"Ann listen to me." He said. "I have to meet an old friend who can help us get away from Capricorn and his men. But I have to leave you here." She was shocked. "Why Dustfinger?! Why can't I go with you? I can be quick and silent just as good as you. And I can-." Dustfinger cut her off. "No Ann. I can't take you because if Capricorn finds me first, then he will find you too if you follow me. And that will just make things easier for him." He walked up to her and hugged her tightly and smiled at her. She had tears streaming down her face. She couldn't just let him leave. But when Ann looked at his smile, the smile she loved so much, Ann knew he was doing it even though he didn't want to. "Ann. I will never leave you ever again. If he finds you, I will come after you and get you back. I promise." He then kissed her on the head and left. Leaving Ann in the dark with her tears.  
**_  
The only thing she had left to remember him was a necklace he gave her. He made it for Ann out of fire it self. It had a red flame in the middle of a stone that never went out, making the rest of the stone yellow and orange.  
She rubbed the warm round necklace as if that would chase away all her fear. The only thing holding her together were the thoughts of Dustfinger coming to get her.  
"Lord Capricorn." Roxas said, still concentrating on speeding past every car that got in his way, "We are almost back at the village."  
Basta was silent all the rest of the way up, even though Roxas kept on trying to make small talk about villages that he raided a few days ago. But not without the details of how they burned a poor farmers home cause he wouldn't give up a dog that Flatnose took a liking too.  
Ann didn't know that Basta was getting a punishment as well, so she decided to ask and annoy the man.

"Hey Basta what happened to your foul mood as usual? By now you should have been yelling at Roxas for talking too much."  
As soon as those words slipped out of her mouth she immediately regretted them because Basta took his knife out of its little sheath and held it close to her neck.

"You better shut your little mouth Ann. Cause if you weren't so important to the boss then you wouldn't have a tongue to make such smart remarks."  
She gulped.

"Sorry Mr. Crazymaniacbloodcravingknifmen" she muttered.

Fifteen minutes later the Lamborghini pulled up to the dead end sign that kept unwanted visitors out. Roxas got out of the car and pulled the sign out of the way so Basta could drive the rest of the way back to the village across the old bridge.  
"Stay here Roxas and I'll drive back and pick you up. Then we can go and find our old 'friend'." Basta chuckled, sending chills down Ann's back.

Ann hated Basta almost as much as Capricorn, the way he found joy in making people tremble in fear for their lives.  
Basta pulled up at a parking lot looking sort of place with cement and certain yellow lines marking everywhere. But he parked in a spot that said, 'Boss' on the line.

Capricorn then unlocked his door and got out slowly. Ann tried that too but he got their quick enough for her not to be able to even get past the door.  
"Not so fast Ann. You just got home, so why are you so eager to leave?" the pale man said in a mocking voice. She merely glared at him with her most vile look, but just like Basta, it only seemed to make him smirk even more.  
"Now you Basta," Capricorn said, turning to his black jacket sitting in the car,

"I want you to go and find our 'friend' and pay him a little visit. When your done bring him back here along with the other one. We will be in need of his assistance as well as the others."  
Ann stood there confused by Capricorns words.  
Friends? Basta doesn't have any…Wait!  
Basta smiled and drove back onto the road.  
"NO!" Ann yelled. She made a bolt after the car, as if somehow she could catch up to it and keep it here. But Capricorn was quick to act as he grasped the girl's waist and pulled her close. Wiggling is his arms, Ann desperately tried to free herself, tears almost streaming down her face with anger and sadness. Capricorn started chuckling, as if he were laughing at a smile child trying to get a toy away from his tall hold. His smile only making her anger rise.

Once the car was well out of the village, Capricorn released his hold on Ann, but was staying close to her incase she tried to make anther bolt.

Then all of a sudden Ann, acting like a child in a tantrum, swung at the mans face, hoping to hit her target and gain a leverage.  
"You leave Dustfinger ALONE!" She swung at his face but he somehow he moved quickly and was suddenly behind her and was holding her arm behind her. Once again in his arms.  
"Now Ann. Your anger shouldn't get the best of you. After all, if you keep acting this way then you are going to get your self hurt." He leaned close to her ear, "and I don't think you want to see what happens when you try my patience."  
She wretched her hand from his grasp and tried to make another swing at him once more. Except this time he was losing his patience. He backhanded her, his hand a dark blue hue.

The blow made her fall to the ground; her body was wrenching in pain. It felt as though a knife had cute her insides and was moving to her hands and feet. Her head was throbbing the most, like a giant headache that only seemed to grow. Her thoughts were rambling through her mind, trying to make sense of it all.

_Magic…he has magic. But how? Dustfinger always told me that there was no need to be truly afraid of him because his men usually took care of the mess. _

"How…how did you?" Ann was gasping for breath, the blow knocking the wind from her. Twice tonight she had her breath taken from her.  
Capricorn laughed, "I suppose that that fire-eater friend of yours told you that I had no control over the magical elements. Did he not?" He stared at Ann. He then bent down so that he was balancing on his toes, and continued.  
"Know good and well that I have full control over my powers here as well as in the Inkworld. I don't suppose this will make anything better for you or Dustfinger."  
Ann lay on the ground gasping for breath, tears still threatening to fall from her eyes. Capricorn took pity on her and picked her up, cradling her like a mother would to her baby in her arms. Ann tried to move out of his grasp with her remaining strength, but that proved pointless seeing as all Capricorn did has squeeze her to keep her still.  
"Now, let's go and tell everyone that you've returned home. Shall we?"  
Capricorn headed towards the village that Ann dreaded and had hoped never to see again.

Capricorn burst through the front doors of the red church. Ann despised the place; it reminded her of a slaughter house because, of how many people she had witness being killed in the church, as well as the blood red color of the walls.  
Last time Ann was in the church, it was just her, Dustfinger, Capricorn, and Basta.

It was a grueling memory. Dustfinger and Ann were being told of what their use was going to be for Capricorn. He wanted them to be under his rule, to burn what he told them to burn, to kill who he wanted dead, and he wanted Ann to be his.

Dustfinger, always being the rebel, tried to set Capricorn alight with rage. But Basta was quick to act, and struck the fire-eater down. Then, pulling out his knife, he cut Dustfinger. Over and over again, the mans cries heard throughout the village. Ann, being tied up, had to witness it all. She tried to help the man she so desperately cared for, but her hands were bound, and she was gagged so that she could not yell, or cry.

It made the girls heart break. Dustfinger was being punished all because he never wanted her to go into the black jackets arms. He was so determined to protect her that he was willing to be cut up, if that meant that it helped keep Ann with him. It made the once holy place of the church, nothing but a sinner's paradise.

Now all the black jackets were inside the church eating their meals served to them from the misfortunate maids that worked under a woman by the name of Mortola. She was almost more hated by everyone than Capricorn, the way her pebble eyes stared you down, like a crow to a dying victim.

The girl had memories with this horrible woman as well, but she held no regrets for the reason of the bad memory.

She once back talked Mortola. A maid had dropped an armload of dirty plates, it was an accident seeing as the floor was wet from the others maids cleaning it. The maid was trying to pick it all up, the broken glasses and everything, cutting her hands is the process.

Mortola ordered that Ann burn the girl, for her being so clumsy and useless. But Ann refused. She refused and then was shut in the crypt for several days. But not before hearing that the maid she tried to save was killed anyhow, Mortola shot her with a black jackets gun.

Perhaps the only time she felt safe next to Capricorn, was when Mortola was around. Somehow he never allowed anyone to touch her when he was near her. It was sort of an odd arrangement. He would protect her from anyone, but it was sometimes the protection from himself that she needed.

"Lord Capricorn seems you found the little runaway! Make sure she gets a little punishment for her little trick." One of the men yelled out from the tables. Ann ignored them; all she wanted right now was to sleep and dream of being anywhere but here.  
"Be reassured, One Eye that she will be punished, as for now let's celebrate her return and the good luck she will bring us!" Capricorn yelled.  
Cheers rang out from all the tables as Capricorn continued to walk to this 'throne' as he called it. A giant chair that looked over the whole church, where was once a pew that was set for the priest.

Once he reached it he sat down, Ann still in his arms, she didn't care anymore for she was too exhausted to care that her most hated enemy was holding her in his arms like a father to their child.  
Capricorn seemed to notice that Ann had given up trying to get out of his grasp, and looked down at her. He could tell that she was very tired, but didn't want her to leave his sight yet.  
Ann could feel her eyes opening and closing slower every time she blinked, but she didn't want to fall asleep yet. She wanted to hear the news if they found Dustfinger or not.

Soon she couldn't help it anymore; she fell asleep with her head resting against the warm body holding her.

Capricorn noticed as soon as he felt Ann's head rest against his chest, that she was asleep. Not even the noisy and crowded church could keep her awake.  
He stood up and carried Ann to his room that was connected to the church on his orders. He wasn't going to sleep tonight, so he might as well let the girl have it. The leader had to see if Basta and Roxas managed to find Dustfinger, otherwise he would have to set out again to Silvertounge's new home. He would threaten the man to tell him where Dustfinger was at, and then we would take him and force him to come back to the Devil's Village.

As the leader of the men in his church, he didn't have to live in the run down homes that surrounded the area. No, he got an extravagant room, with black walls, a four poster bed with charcoal colored sheets made of silk, as well as other room furniture that never even touched.  
Capricorn set Ann down on the king size bend and watched the young girl sleep.  
"Cockerell, have Basta and Roxas shown up yet?" Capricorn asked once going back inside the eating room, getting impatient after waiting for what seemed like forever.  
"Not yet Lord Capricorn. Basta called in a few hours ago saying that Silvertounge is on the move and he's guessing that Dustfinger is with him. They will follow them till they stop and then wait for the attack."  
Capricorn nodded his head and motioned with his head that Cockerell may go. His plans were still in tact as long as Dustfinger stayed with Silvertounge. If he left, there would be hell to pay.

Hours later, as Capricorn was walking back to his room to check up on Ann, he heard voices coming from inside the room.  
"-If we get rid of her, then their will be less trouble for all of us. After all we only need one fire-eater! Why two?" Said one of the voices.

The next voice sounded unsure.  
"But what if Capricorn finds out it was us that killed her? He could kill us himself or worse…"

Capricorn heard sobs and he knew they were coming from inside his room. He burst through the door to find two of his men, Slasher and Iron Hand, standing over Ann. She had been gagged and had tears streaming down her face. Once the two men saw that their leader had come into the room, both men dropped their knives and started backing away slowly.  
"L-lord Capr-icorn! Sir what are you doing in here?!" Iron Hand blurted.  
"Oh, nothing. I just happened to hear that two of my most trusted men came in here to hurt my Ann. Now, you wouldn't be trying to do that now would you?" Capricorn said.  
Both men looked as though they had been shot and were not yet dead.

Iron Hand started trembling and Slasher quickly tried to explain.  
"Sir, she is nothing but a nuisance to us! Always running away, causing one or more of your men to get hurt, and she is always dishonoring you! I don't think she has the right to be in your presence and live while she acts the way she does." Slasher was taking deep breaths, praying with all of his might that his leader understood what he was saying.  
"Really, now I never thought of Ann as a problem at all. After all, she is going to be the one to help me with my rein of power. With her fire and my power nothing shall stop me. But seeing at you have disagreements and were trying to hurt what is MINE I shall see to it that both of you….DIE!"

Capricorns hands had turned a dark black, and then suddenly, he struck both men in their stomachs. Neither of them had a chance, they dropped dead as soon as Capricorns hands touched them.  
Once his hands returned to normal, he walked over to the trembling Ann, took off her gag and took her in his arms. She was trembling from both fear of Capricorn, and the fact she almost died.

Ann looked up at Capricorn, eyes red from the tears, with a look of fear and gratefulness. Blood now stained the mans hands, and he noticed that he was getting it on Ann. She didn't seem to notice  
"T-they came in while you were gone! They grabbed me while I was still sleeping, tied me up, and then gagged me because I tried to yell. T-they wanttted to kkkill me!" Ann broke down in sobs again.  
Capricorn could tell that there was no way he could calm the girl down in the state she was in now. So he left after he ordered some of his men to come and take Slasher and Iron Hands bodies away, and yelled for a maid to come and clean the shaking girl.

* * *

R&R and you will see more chapters!


	2. Chapter 2

I redid this chapter again, cause as i was reading over it I saw MAJOR mistakes that I had to fix. I started on this story about a year ago, so the chapters for the first few are before I had lessons about writing. So now I'm reading over the chapters and posting the new ones I fixed. EnjoY!

Dustfinger cursed several times as he thundered through the thorny bush

Dustfinger cursed several times as he thundered through the thorny bush. 'Hurry, hurry, hurry' was all that ran through his head. Ann, by now was back in Capricorns pale hands once more, keeping her even more guarded than he did while they were both locked up. His heart still tore as he remembered the girls' tears as she watched him leave. Ever fiber of his being wanted him to run back to the girl, take her in his arms, never let go, and lead her somewhere where they weren't hunted down.

But no, life couldn't be that simple. Not with Basta and the other black jackets hiding everywhere in the shadows.

"I still shouldn't have left her. Not even if Capricorn would have found us again. At least she wouldn't have to suffer alone, like she is now." His heart, now aching worse than ever, only caused him to quicken his step once more.

An hour later, he reached the terrifying gates that he once saw before he was back with Ann. Memories of what happened not a year ago, when Dustfinger came to this unknown world once more. The Inkworld was not able to show him much of what he missed when he was once again read into the terrifying place, only this time, Ann was with him.

Ann wasn't in the real world the last time he was here. The time when he betrayed Silvertounge for the book of his world. She would have been ashamed of him if she were along side him during that time, but all the same he knew that her kindness would see that he only wanted to return to the only family he had. She would have been proud of him when he told her how he then helped the man, his daughter, the annoying fat book woman, and Resa return home and become a family once more.

_Resa_

The very name made his heart hurt worse than it did. When he first met the woman, he felt something for her, something that he tried to call love. But there wasn't anyway that she could love him. She had a husband and a daughter, while he was nothing but a scarred fire-eater. Once he returned to the Inkworld, and met with Ann and the Prince once more, he then realized that Ann was no longer the little girl that he saw grow up.

No, she was 16 and more beautiful than Resa. Her natural dark brown reddish hair, along with her fire-eaters outfit that she wore, and her eyes. The emeralds that lay in her eyes glimmered with more joy than he thought a person could have.

What he felt for Resa was nothing compared that of what he felt for the girl.

Dustfinger picked the locks on the gate with an experts ease, and passed on down the gravel road. The very road that Meggie, Silvertounge's daughter ran down as Basta and his men stole her father.

He shook his head.

_No, what's in the past is in the past. I've redeemed for my mistakes and now all I want is to return with Ann and go home._

He then arrived at a home that could only be called impressive by someone from this world. But Dustfinger had seen the home of the Laughing Prince, along with some of the most brilliant homes of Argenta while on the move with the Molty Folk.

None the less, Dustfinger walked up to the door of the home and quickly knocked upon the white door. Next to it laid the ridiculously labeled sign of the book woman's home.

Not a minute after he knocked, the door opened quickly along with a blonde head poking out, "Hello?" But once the blonde fully looked at the stranger, all Dustfinger could manage was,

"Hello Meggie."

The door quickly shut on the mans' face. Dustfinger chuckled; somehow he knew this was going to happen. Inside of the house he could hear yelling along with quick steps that were returning to the door.

Once again the door opened, but this time it was not Meggie who opened it, but the very man that Dustfinger wanted to see. Silvertounge had grown older it looked. His once dark moleskin hair had signs of little gray, along with a look of tiredness on it. As usual Silvertounge's face was an open book with emotions, and the emotion he showed now was nothing but anger.

"What in the blazes are you doing here Dustfinger?!" Silvertounge almost shouted. "How on Earth did you come back? The last time I saw you, you disappeared inside of Inkheart. I read you back just as you wanted along with the help of Fenoglio."

The fire-eater sighed. How could he explain this one? Dustfinger had no idea how he and Ann were read into this world. For him, it was again. They were both at a performance in Ombra, the next thing they knew they were in front of Capricorn and his men, no reader in sight.

"Listen Silvertounge-." Dustfinger started, but was interrupted.

"NO! I will not listen to you anymore Dustfinger! I told you that after we got Meggie back from Capricorn that we were at quits. That I would send you home with the author's words, and then go back to my life with my wife and daughter."

Dustfinger tried again, "I know, I remember. But-."

Silvertounge yet again interrupted, "Two years, that's how long it's been since you last stood at my homes door, and yet again here you stand at the door. What more could you want, I mean-" Silvertounge kept trailing with words, but Dustfinger wasn't listening to them, his anger was rising.

Resa now was standing at the door besides her husband, holding her hand on his shoulder, looking at Dustfinger with confusion, and shock. Dustfinger ignored her, and then Meggie and Elinor could be seen inside of the hallway of the house, looking upon the yelling.

"-It's not like something could be wrong, we don't have the book and-."

"SILVERTOUNGE SHUT UP!" Dustfinger finally bellowed.

He had had enough; he needed this man's help desperately. And while Ann lay in the hands of Capricorn nothing was going to help her while Silvertounge lay babbling at his door.

"Capricorns back." Dustfinger muttered after a moment of silence.

Resa suddenly had tears in her eyes, memories of her being a maid flooding back into her mind. Silvertounge's once red face, now was as pale as milk. Dustfinger could see that Elinor, who lay behind the door, instantly ran to the door, pushed the pale man aside and was now standing in his face.

"What in the hell do you think your playing at you bloody matchstick eater?! We saw what happened when Mortimer read that paper that the old man wrote. How that dark creature was the death of the man! Along with his burly men of black jackets! I certainly haven't seen B-Basta at my doorstep so we can only assume that he is dead along with his vile, cretin of a master." The woman's face was flushed. She too had aged over the year, but she was old anyhow, so Dustfinger couldn't see a difference that much. But it seemed that her fear of the knifeman hadn't changed one bit.

"Well you better start believing in me now, because somehow Capricorns back, and he is coming for all of you." He could see that Silvertounge was going to say something but Dustfinger beat him to it. "No I'm not lying this time Silvertounge. Trust me; I've had enough with Basta, Flatnose, Cockerell, and the rest of the black jackets. I just want to get on with my life and home.

Meggie, who had remained silent after all the talking, suddenly spoke up as if her voice left and now returned. It was dry and cold.

"Why should we believe you?" Her voice didn't suit someone so young. It reminded him of when she found out that he had betrayed her to Capricorn, and wished for him to choke on his own smoke.

It was cold and harsh.

He could understand her untrustworthy mood towards him, but that didn't mean that he needed to go through this at this time.

"Because princess, I know what I did in the past was something truly unforgivable, and I can understand what you are feeling right now. But I learned my lesson, and wouldn't come to your peaceful home and stir fear into your hearts for the joy of it. Remember I'm Dustfinger, not one of the black jackets."

Elinor snorted, as if there was something truly funny about the whole matter. Dustfinger looked at her, dead seriousness in his eyes. "If you could clearly remember bookworm, Basta knows where you live, and I can assure you that after the incident with the Shadow, that he is dying to come and find you once again. He probably has a new knife by now."

That immediately made the woman instantly reach for her neck, her face as red as a beet.

"If I remember correctly, Dustfinger, it's thanks to you that they know where she lives. After all, you were the one who showed them the way here." Silvertounge now once again spoke up, the color returning to his face. "That's why I don't think it's necessary to trust you at all. Yes, you did help me get Meggie back, but in all honesty I know that you only helped to get the book. I won't endanger my family anymore. Of course you wouldn't know about family, all you have to worry about is yourself-."

Dustfinger looked at the man with scorn and venom, but it was soon replaced with despair.

Those words struck home. Dustfinger knew that he was never one to show his feelings open like Silvertounge, but as he said those few words, he felt everything come crashing down on him.

The fire-eater sunk down to his knees, tears brimming his scarred face. Never once, in his whole life had he ever broke down like this. Usually he kept all of his emotions bottled up.

"H-he has Ann. She's a girl, one that I deeply care for." Dustfinger breathed, "W-when I came b-back she came with me, and Capricorn took her from me, I needed help. I-I had to come and find you. You are the only one that can help me get A-Ann back." Dustfinger looked up at the shocked and saddened face of Silvertounge. Dustfinger took yet another big gulp of air and pushed back the tears. He knew that tears didn't help anything and it surly wouldn't help Ann at all.

"Silvertounge, I know that you think me heartless, and that I don't have a care for anyone in the world, yours or mine. But you're wrong. Ann means the world to me. She is all I have left of a family here. If I lose her, then…then there is nothing left to live for."

Silence beheld them all, each wore a different expression. Silvertounge with confusion, Resa with sadness, Elinor with shock, and Meggie with nothing. Yet Meggie was the one who broke the silence.

"Mo…," She looked up at her father. "I know that Dustfinger has done wrong things in the past, but," She looked at the fire-eater. "Mo we need to help him get this 'Ann' back. She hasn't done anything to us and you can see that he cares a lot for her. You would do the same for Resa if it were you."

With the mention of his wife, Silvertounge held Resa close to him. Her hands telling him that Meggie was right and that they should help. Elinor had disappeared into the giant house.

Dustfinger, who felt that if he said one more thing, then his whole world, would fall apart. But then Silvertounge said the most unexpected thing ever. He smiled and said, "Why don't you come inside then and tell us about Ann then. After all, it's better to know the person that were going to save don't you think?"

Happiness flowed through the fire-eaters veins as he hadn't felt since he saw Inkheart and everyone again.

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YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO! R&R AND YOU WILL GET MORE!


	3. Chapter 3

_**K so i only added a few new things on this chapter, nothing too big. Just a couple of corrections on the spelling and added some things to clear up some stuff. But enjoy the chapter!**_

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Flashback

Many years ago the Molty Folk often trailed through the Wayless Woods to get to their next destination. It was an odd assortment of people. Fire-eaters, tightrope walkers, dyers, magicians, animal tamers, knife throwers, and anything else that the people of Argenta or Lambrocia ever wanted to see.

Back then, the Black Prince and Dustfinger were only 18 years old.

Living on their own since they could remember, they learned to only rely on each other. Of course the other Molty Folk were willing to help others that traveled along side of them, but they couldn't always feed the others. So, the boys learned that it was just better to be by themselves. Prince was tall, lean, and dark as the night itself. While Dustfinger was lean, almost as tall as the Prince, and lightly tan along with his sandy ruffled hair. Both were almost exceptionally well at their talents, Dustfinger with fire, and Prince with his bear and his knives.

One day though, while going through the woods, a little wail rang throughout the dark woods. The rest of the Molty Folk were farther ahead of the two younger boys. 18 years old and yet so dependant of themselves, they followed the young cry.  
It led them to a hollow of a tree, looming over all of the other younger trees. Prince, being the more mature of the two, took the liberty of looking inside of the tree. What he saw made a bright smile appear on his dark skin. It was a baby girl, not much older than 10 months old. With what little hair was on the little girl's hair, it was dark, and her eyes were a shinning green in Dustfingers flame light.

The girl, once she saw that someone had come to her aid, stopped her wailing. She made a smile and reached towards the dark man.

"Where do you think her parents are Prince?" Dustfinger asked.

The dark man shrugged, not really caring. Never before had he ever had the chance to hold something so small in his arms. The girl, she never once wailed or whimpered as the Prince picked her up. She was only wrapped up in a dark red blanket that looked as if it had been through thick and thin.

"I don't know, there's no note. Not that I could read one even if there was one. But why do you think someone would drop off such a small baby girl in the middle of nightmare infested woods?"

Dustfinger, shrugged just as the Prince had. He as a child had been left and abandoned, never seeing or remembering who his parents are.

It was often that young children were left when they were young, but never this young. That was how most of the Molty Folk came to be. Abandoned, shunned, or unique people came together to make what they were now.

"Who knows, but it sure wasn't the safest place to put a baby, that for sure. Anyway, what are you going to do with her?" Dustfinger already knew part of the answer; Prince would keep her and make her one of the Molty Folk. But what the Prince had to say along with that, almost made him burst out in laughter.

"She will stay with us, and…she will be my daughter." Prince said, with much seriousness. "Just look at her, the way she smiles whenever I look at her. Plus, we could teacher her! You could teach her how to play with fire, or do one of your juggling acts…while I could teach her how to throw knives and play with my bear!" The Prince was almost jumping up and down with excitement. But he remembered the young girl in his arms, and contained it by laughing.

"But, of course, you'll be helping as well."

Dustfinger about fainted.

"What do you mean?! I don't know how to take care of a girl, let alone a baby! We'll have to feed her, change her, and then comes the-." He was cut off as Prince suddenly placed the little girl in his arms. Her little eyes suddenly opened as she was abruptly in another's arms. Dustfinger winced, expecting the baby to suddenly cry at his scarred face. But no, she just looked at him, and then reached with her little hands to touch his face. Her hands were so small, so small compared to both men's.

With that, Dustfinger vowed from that day, to protect the girl as well as her father, the Prince.

"So what are you going to name her?" Dustfinger asked, not looking up from the bundle of joy in his arms.

A moment of silence engulfed silence held them all as the Prince thought a moment, "Ann, her name will be Ann."

"What made you choose that?"

The dark man smiled, his white teeth such a contrast to his dark outfit.

"It just came to me."

So that was it, they took the baby girl back to camp, and from then on there they took care of her. Of course, the woman often had to help the poor boys with changing, and feeding, but other than those few things, they had everything under control. Ann, as young as she was, never cried once in the night. Which they found odd, because other children younger than Ann often cried in the middle of the night, keeping everyone up. But their little girl never cried once she was in her father's arms.

Ann also, by her first birthday, showed that she wasn't afraid of much. Prince's bear, who scared even the most brave of the Molty Folk, wouldn't hesitate to run up to the animal and pet it as if it were a common dog. Prince was proud of this; it showed that she would make a wonderful assistant with the bear.

Moments with Ann made both men's lives as wonderful as can be.

Her first words, much to her father's joy, was 'Dada' and her second word, which surprised everyone, was 'Dusty'.

Dustfinger never felt so happy in all of his life. He was able to witness Ann's first steps, her first words, and anything else that came with watching a girl.

By the age young age of five, Ann had long brown and reddish hair, with a slight complexion of tan skin (probably because she spent most of her time outside) and had developed unique skills beyond those of her age.

For example, as she grew older she was able to strike and dead center target with her fathers knives, wrestle bear (which was a feat all its own to even get close to the bear), but more importantly play with fire. From the first day she saw Dustfinger perform Ann had decided the she wanted to play with fire as well. She wanted to make it move the way 'Dusty' and talk to it.

She loved the fire. Ann treated it the exact way that Dustfinger did, with care and caution. He even allowed the girl to perform by the age of 6 because she was fully able to ask the fire to take forms and move. But, by 12 years old, Ann could talk with fire after Dustfinger took her to a hive of fire elves, and shared their fire honey with her.

She talked by the language of fire, as if she had been speaking it her whole life!

All throughout the Laughing Prince's kingdom, Ann was known as the youngest fire eater ever to perform. People came to watch the girl make her figures of fire, and dance around them. Some of the flames were her height and danced with her like a little partner.

Dustfinger had never been so proud, but at the same time a pit of something dreadful had dug itself into his heart.

Ann, by 15 was already becoming a woman, and whenever they performed, boys and even men, would stare at her like leeches. And it made Dustfinger burn with a rage so strong and heated, that even the flames he played with would seem merely warm. It was often that a man who had 'accidentally' touched Ann ended up going to the healers because of severe burns. Ann never knew why Dustfinger got angry; she just thought that the men and boys were kind and friendly, always talking to her after every show. But her father and Dustfinger knew better.

"Dustfinger…I've noticed that you've been acting strange lately." Prince said one night. Both Dustfinger and Prince were no longer boys, but men. They had gone through so much together, but now even as they grew older, they were still close and just like family, told each other everything. But, even as they were younger, they still pertained the same look as always. Dustfinger in his fire eater's garments, and Prince with his black clothing.

"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything different. Is it my hair? Cause I already told you it got bur—

"Not that Dustfinger, something else." The Black Prince had a look in his eyes that was telling Dustfinger not to play dumb.

"It's nothing, Prince."

Ann, who had been talking to others among the Motley Folk, walked near the fire that the men were sitting around. All of the other Molty Folk soon were fast asleep, ready for the next day's performances. Ann, just like Dustfinger, was dressed in the fire eater's outfit. Red and black, her favorite colors.

Prince never minded that Ann preferred fire performing rather than knife throwing or bear wrestling, as long as she was enjoying it. He had a feeling as she was growing that she would prefer a fire eaters life to a knife throwers. Though if she ever changed her mind, he knew she would make his performance even better with both their skills.

"Father, I did the laundry today with some of the other woman and cleaned your k knives. I told you to sharpen them as well, but seeing as you didn't I did it for you. Oh, and I made sure that your knives were hidden under your bed like you asked." She smiled.

Prince smiled back, "Thank you Ann. What would I do without you?! Did you make s-

"Yes and I gave bear some food as well. I wouldn't forget him!"

Both men laughed as Ann sat on the ground near Dustfinger and laid her head on his lap. "Dusty, are we going to do that new trick that you showed me yesterday? The one with the torches and the rope?" She looked up at the scarred face of Dustfinger, eagerness shown clearly on her face.

"Only if you think you can handle it!" he teased

"Of course I can! I've been practicing day and night." Ann snapped, with clear humor in her voice.

"Alright then, but I still want you to be very careful with those torches. If they fall on your arms, you'll be as red as the color you wear."

"Don't worry," Ann yawned, "I'll be sure to wear my thick jacket." Ann sleepily was closing her eyes more and more as Dustfinger stroked her hair. Until finally, the girl was sound asleep.

Prince, who had remained silent, watched as his best friend stared at his daughter, emotions splayed across his face.

"Its Ann isn't it?" Prince asked.

Dustfinger looked at his friend, confused.

"Whenever you look at her, you show such compassion and caring in your face, it's hard to say that. You're usually the closed book!"

"No! Its just…oh I don't know Prince." Dustfinger sighed, "I know that she is still young, and that she has so much more to live for than the life of a fire eater. But, whenever I see someone looking at her, it's like I want to hold her close to me and tell the world that she belongs to me. I'm so selfish."

The Black Prince laughed.

"So YOU'RE the one burning the citizens! I swear I thought something was going on! After every show some man would have either his arms burnt, or his hair, or his legs. Trust me, I've seen some those men several times at your shows and I cant blame you for burning them, their nothing but pigs."

Prince, who noticed that Ann was starting to slide from Dustfingers lap, stood up and picked up his daughter, Ann mumbling something in her sleepy state, tried to latch onto her father for warmth. When Prince put her down on some fur pelts next to the fire, she went straight back to sleep snuggled up in her fur blankets.

"Dustfinger, I could tell from the first time you held Ann that you were going to be very protective of her. I don't mind if you have feelings for Ann, so long as you don't harm her in any way. Which I know you wont, but I mean…just don't mess with her feelings Dustfinger. She thinks so much of you. From the very beginning she always wanted to make you proud or approve of something she did. I just don't want something to happen and have our family fall apart because of it."

A silence went on after Prince finished talking, only the sound of the fire crackling.

"Prince, I tell you this with all of my heart, and you know this is new to me because I hate showing my emotions, but..." Dustfinger looked his friend straight in the eyes. "I will always protect Ann, no matter what. I would lay down my life for her and do everything it takes to make sure she's happy. I would be anything for her. A brother, a 'uncle' or …something more if she ever wanted. But I would never mess with her feelings." Dead seriousness on his face, Dustfinger leaned in close to the fire, poking it to keep it from dying.

Prince looked at the fire eater. He could tell that Dustfinger loved Ann, and even if Dustfinger didn't know, Ann loved Dustfinger just as much. She would constantly blush whenever he came around and caught her staring at him, mumbling that she saw something interesting in the sky, or on the ground. Prince would catch her blushing and often make jokes about it. Leaving him with a very mad teenage daughter and a couple of burns. He didn't find it odd that the two liked one another; he just thought it was funny that they didn't know that the other liked them.

"Well then, if you mean those words down to your soul," Prince pulled out a hidden knife, the only one he never threw was this small silver one, specially made from the two's childhood. It was the one that both cut their fingers on and declared them blood brothers with. "Then I give you my blessings."

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K so review and I'll give you guys a BIG cookie! With lots of chocolately goodness!


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry took a bit to write this part, had a bit of a writers block. I would like more insperation to continue my writing.

Enjoy!

Ann shivered as she sat in the church that morning. Whether it was from the cold, or from her frightened thoughts she couldn't decide. It was getting cold in the mountain area; even if it was only fall in some places, but she knew that it wasn't so much the cold making her shiver.

That night, the night when the two men who tried to kill her, were murdered in front of her. How their eyes grew as they saw their leaders eyes and hands darken into a pitch black. The image remained in her thoughts, that night when she truly saw Capricorn for what he was.

A cruel heartless killer.

The rest of the men had a lecture that morning, while they all ate. They knew of what their comrades' fate had been, but never had they seen their leaders so enraged.

"My black jackets. You who serve me with honor, without hesitation, you who look up to me often, as if I am your very god! Last night, two of your brothers died by my hands."

Capricorns words cut across the tables where the men sat with their breakfast. When the fair haired man spoke of how he killed his own men, the others seemed to shift away from him.

Ann chuckled to herself. When the men were face to face with Capricorn, they were nothing but cowards. And yet some of them, when Dustfinger was taken to the church, called the match-stick eater a coward. But Dustfinger was braver than any man in that church.

Men noticed that the younger match-stick eater sat at the throne of their leader. How she looked paler than she usually did. Maybe it was because she witnessed her first close death experience the other night. Or maybe…it was because she was giving up hope of ever leaving.

"Yes, I killed two of our own men. But do you know why?" Capricorn asked. "It was because they tried to foil what I have worked so hard to achieve! They tried to kill the only thing that will make me powerful in our world! Thinking, that they were doing something better than our own interest.

"Well, let me explain this to you all now while you stuff your faces with food."

His cold colorless eyes shone with rage. Pointing a finger at the girl who sat at his feet. "If ANY on you, so much as lay a finger on her without my permission, I will give you the most slow and painful death that is possible. She is our only hope to gain power in the Inkworld, and without her, Dustfinger will not come to us. Without her, my plans will FAIL!

"Now, do I make myself understood!?" His voice rang out.

Cheers of the men echoed through the church.

The girl, not caring about anything that Capricorn said, merely amused herself by playing with a match.

"Is that all I am to you Capricorn? Bait? Bait to lure all that your hearts desire to your door?" The fire bit at Ann's fingers, tame like a kitten. Her emerald eyes looked up only to see his silver like eyes. Ann's voice sounded broken, empty and hollow.

Capricorn looked down at the girl.

No, she wasn't just bait. She was HIS.

HIS to keep, HIS to command, and HIS alone.

She would never go back to Dustfinger, or see her family again. She was with her family now. A family that was as black as crows.

"Of course!" The man chuckled, kneeling down to snatch the girls chin in his hand. "Without you how would we ever be able to have Dustfinger come to us? Or, have the reader that he is seeking out, read us back to Ombrea where my rule will begin?

His expression seemed to change. No longer amused, nor did it have the arrogance it once held.

Now his expression only held confusion and pity. His voiced also lowered.

"However, what happened last night was never supposed to happen. Nor did I want you to witness such brutality. But, when people threaten to take what is mine…then I sometimes get a bit violent."

Ann wretched her chin from the mans grasp.

"And whoever said that I belonged to you! I will NEVER, EVER belong to you! You cold hold me against my will for as long as you want. Torture me, strike me, threaten me, do whatever you want. I belong to no one." Ann stood up and walked through the doors of the church, leaving a raging Capricorn in her wake along with the smell of blood.

Hours later Ann sat on a hill near an old cottage that Dustfinger once told her about. A story of an old woman who refused to give up her home to the black jackets, and ended up burning to the ground with her home.

The story was hard for her to listen too, but when Dustfinger told her about it; it was the moral of the story that always made Ann smile.

Never give up, never give in.

Footsteps were coming closer to the cottage, but Ann made no notice of it.

Ever since the other night, Capricorn ordered that Flatnose, a horrible man with a squished like face, be her bodyguard.

"Whatcha doin over here little girl." The man spat, obviously not enjoying the fact that he was left to watch over a girl.

"Nothing much, Ugly." Ann murmured.

'Ugly' hearing what the girl said suddenly grabbed Ann by her hair and yanked her close to his horrible face.

"Now you listen here Ann! Just cause I have 'ta watch you all day, doesn't mean I have to listen to you mock me. Now either behave, or I'll switch spots with Cockerell. And I can assure you," he said with a grin, "That he will enjoy watching a girl much more than me." With a smirk, he let go of Ann's hair and started walking to the other side of the cottage, seeing a cat and intending to shoot it with his gun.

Ann wasn't going to let Flatnose get away with what he did to her. And when she noticed a rock lying next to her foot, about the size of one of a (ping dong...ping wong…ping PONG!) ping pong ball.

With an evil grin, she slowly reached down a grasped the rock in the palm of her hand.

Flatnose was just about to shoot the poor tabby cat, when a 'THUNK' hit his head.

Turing around, enraged, Flatnose saw Ann acting innocent as if she had no idea what was going on.

"DID YOU JUST THROW A ROCK AT ME!?" The man yelled.

Ann, no longer able to contain her smirk, merely smiled at Flatnose.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. But, by the way, you have a lump on the side of your head." She pointed to the left side of her head to indicate the lumps position. "Might want to fix that up."

The man was no longer able to contain his rage and started chasing the girl.

Ann, merely laughing evilly, took off to the other side of the cottage with a big lugging man chasing her.

"Come on slow poke! Wouldn't want me to tell Capricorn that you can't keep up with a little girl now would you?" Ann teased.

Flatnose, only becoming angrier with the girl, didn't notice her hiding behind the other corner, stick out her foot and trip him up.

The next thing Flatnose knew, he was eating dirt below the girl's foot. Leaning next to the mans ear, Ann said, "Next time you grab my hair, it will be much worse. Trust me!"

The church doors opened slowly as Ann walked up to the front of the church, a smile on her face.

Capricorn was being questioned by some men when she arrived. Capricorn looked bored, leaning on one of his hands. But when he noticed her, her merely asked,

"Where is Flatnose? He was supposed to stay with you!"

"Oh don't worry about him, he got a little…tripped up with some things."

Please review! I dont even care if i get flames, just review! Also, will take any advice as to what to put in the story!


	5. Chapter 5

Here's the next chapter, sorry it took a while. I'm getting excited though, I just saw the trailer for Inkheart the movie. But, the only thing that has disappointed me about it, is Capricorns character...lets just say he isnt what I imagined. Dustfingers character looks great though! But I dont know what the other black jackets look like...oh well.

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Over the next few days, things in the black jacket infested village were calm.

Capricorn didn't have any plans going on so far, except that he was still waiting for the call from Basta. He had expected the man to call the very night he sent him out, but no word from Basta had come. Capricorn was becoming frustrated. It was not supposed to take this long to find the damned fire-eater! Finding Silvertounge alone was bringing the man on the edge. But as the days went by, he needed to find Dustfinger to gain his leverage on the other fire-eater, the girl. Ann was still as stubborn as ever.

She refused to cooperate with the black jackets all together.

"Damn girl…damn fire-eaters…damn Basta!" Capricorn yelled. He was sitting in a separate room, cut off from all other company of his 'loyal' men.

Capricorn rubbed his temples in a soothing manner. A knock at his door led his eyes to meet one of the maids.

"M-my Lord," the girl stammered. "One of the men wanted to come and find you. I-it…it…"

"SPIT IT OUT YOU FOOLISH MAID!" Capricorn was out of his seat and grasping the girl's hair in his grasp.

"The girl Ann has tried to burn one of the men! It was Cockerell! Apparently he was trying to t-touch Ann in a manner that she didn't like. She's trying to claim that she warned him but…with the men you can never tell sir."

The man let go of the maid's hair, rage filling his eyes.

"Return to the maid's quarters and go back to work. It seems as if I need to settle some things."

Outside was total chaos. Cockerell was being held back by several of his comrades while Ann herself was being held back by Flatnose. Some of the other men were laughing at the girls threats that poured out of her mouth, hate and anger in her eyes. A circle played around the two, like a playground rustle. Shouts and cheers coming from the men.

"Let me at him! I swear I'm gonna kill him! I'll burn the stupid crow the ground and watch as he yells at the sky in pain!" She struggle against the man holding her, but couldn't move an inch with her small frame in his hold.

"Stupid wench! I ought' a kill your stupid fire-eater fingers off for what you did to me! If it weren't for Capricorn you would be dead and I wouldn't look like this!" Cockerell shouted his face a bright red from the burns she gave him. His hair as well was slightly burned off as well, leaving a him a bit of a spot on his head where his scalp showed.

"Serves you right for wh-."

Boots clicked on the rock lain road. A pale face and a red suit was coming down through the many houses around them. Capricorn and several men followed suit as they trailed behind him, crows following a peacock.

All the movement stopped dead as the other black jackets looked at their leaders. Most bowed their heads in respect while some others looked as if they felt the need to turn and run.

"Why is all the fun stopping? Now that I've shown up I would like to enjoy myself as well." Capricorns cruel smile appeared on his face, hands behind his back. He turned to one of the younger recruits and asked, "What is all the fuss about boy?"

The poor dark boy gulped, "Well…you see my Lord, Cockerell and some of the men were just having some fun, ya know shoot'n cats and all. The girl," he pointed at Ann, "made a comment to one of them after some said something about her. Cockerell suddenly grabbed the girl by her hair and well…"

The boy looked as if he could say no more, so Capricorn turned to Flatnose.

"What exactly was said Flatnose?"

"My lord, Cockerell merely said how Ann would make much less of a nuisance around here if she would just cooperate and become one of us. When the girl-."

"When I said that I would much rather die than become one of you damned crows and that I hoped that you all would rot in hell!" Ann yelled, still trying to pry herself from Flatnose. "Then the stupid idiot grabbed me by my hair and made me look at his ugly face, trying to tell me that you were some 'great' leader that didn't deserve to have to deal with me." She started laughing, "Then he sorta got his face burned when he put it too close, along with some hair."

Capricorn turned to Cockerell, "Is this true Cockerell?"

The man freed himself from his fellow black jackets and bowed at his leader's feet, "Yes sir."

All the frustration that had been building up in Capricorns head for hours was now at its passing point.

Capricorn turned to Ann once more and pulled Ann's face up to meet his, "Why do you refuse to cooperate you damned girl!? We have treated you kindly, not harmed you at all and yet you insist on testing my patience! Your nothing monsters who treat others like dogs!"

Ann suddenly found herself on the ground, the left side of her face in pain. She looked up to meet Capricorns glare, and suddenly felt fearful of the man towering over her. All of a sudden, the man laughed. It was loud and deep, making goose-bumps appear on the girls' skin. His men also laughed, showing their leader that they too did as he did.

Capricorn bent down and grabbed the girls' hair, Ann yelled out from the pain, it bringing tears to her eyes.

"I didn't want this to happen Ann, I truly didn't. I try and try to contain patience with you, but you have pushed me to my limits. You think that you are beyond rules here, and you are wrong. I have been too lenient on you. But since you insist that we treat others as dogs, then I will treat you as a dog. And it's about time you were trained."

He turned to one of the men, "Find me a car, we're going to show her what happens when she misbehaves for now on." The man nodded and ran off.

"W-what are you going to do?" Ann asked, almost too afraid to ask.

"You'll see." Was all Capricorn replied.

Inside the car, Ann was shaking. They were driving away from the village and were going down the road 100+ miles and hour.

Capricorn had her sitting in his lap, his hold on her hair never loosening. Flatnose was in the front seat of the truck they were driving in while another man was driving. Ann remembered Dustfinger called them 'Dodges'.

"I truly didn't want this to happened Ann." Capricorn whispered in her ear. "This was the last thing I wanted you to ever witness, but you have left me no choice."

They reached a home. It was white, one story, and looked a little run down, but it had the feeling of a small cozy place. But when they parked, Ann noticed that the other black jackets were around the small home, all holding torches.

Capricorn forced Ann to get out of the car, still holding her hair, and ushered her to the middle of the yard.

"No please! You can't do this; this is all we have left! If we lose our home then we will have nothing, absolutely nothing." A woman's voice yelled, while children were clinging to her, all toddlers. One of the men pushed the woman aside while he started walking towards the house, torch in hand.

"Richard no!"

One of the black jackets grabbed the man who was standing next to the woman, shoved him inside the home and blocked the door, and then set it alight. The man banged on the door, yelling to be let out while the flames grew bigger and bigger.

"Stop please! No more!" Ann yelled, trying to do something to aid the man, but Capricorn yanked her back and held her. Tears of anger and guilt poured down her face.

"Stop…no more." She pleaded.

"Do you know who taught us to use fire Ann?" Capricorn asked.

Ann shook her head, no.

"It was Dustfinger. We tricked him to teach us how to use fire, to make it available for our uses. And now look what his teachings have brought."

He raised his hand towards the burning home.

Capricorns grip on Ann's hair was relieved, but she couldn't hold herself up, and sunk to the ground. Her tears were orange as they reflected the fires colors. The black jackets cheered and danced around the fire as if it were nothing but a huge party. Some of them even used the drinks they stole from the house and drank to their hearts content. Draining themselves in a drunken stupor.

Capricorn bent down and picked up the crying girl in his arms.

"I hope this has taught you a lesson. From now on, if you disobey me again, another home, another family will suffer because of it. Do you understand?"

Ann numbly nodded, burying her head in his chest as if that would block out the cries and cheers of the men around her. The man, feeling somehow a bit of guilt, stroked the girls dark hair, trying to calm her down.

One of the men and Capricorn with Ann in his arms, got in a car and returned to the village. Once they returned Ann was sent to her room next to Capricorns.

That night Ann could only dream of the screams and the picture of the family and house that all suffered because of her.

* * *

R&R please! I will take any advice on the story, I dont care if you flame. I love constructive critsism (sp? lol)

Next chapter: Dustfingers at Mo's home and they are getting ready to go and find Ann, now that Mo has agreed to help.


	6. Chapter 6

Ok, heres the whole time setting story for Inkfire.

Its past the first book Inkheart, but Mo ended up reading Dustfinger back somehow by accident. Once he was read back, he was reunited with the Black Prince and Ann. Then, somehow he got read back a year later after Inkheart and they stayed in the 'normal world' for a year, Capricorn though, was brought back to life by the same person who read Dusty and Ann into the 'normal world'. Capricorn wants revenge on Silvertounge for his death, and he wants to kill the man in his world. He plans on using Dusty and Ann's power with fire to start to overcome the rulers of the Inkworld and slowly take it over. Farid is not in this story only because I wasn't too impressed with him, and because I don't want some pansy fire eater in my story that follows Dustfinger around all the time.

Sorry to those of you who like him!

Readers will find out who the mysterious reader is later on, as well as if they will go into Inkworld or not.

* * *

"We already know the lay of the land there, right Silvertounge?" Dustfinger asked.

Meggie, Elinor, Silvertounge, and Resa were all surrounding a map that lay out over the table. It showed the whole area from their home to Capricorns many bases.

"They have doubled guard shifts from what I noticed. Ever since we all were being held there. None of them leave a blind spot around their base except," Dustfinger pointed to a small wooded area, "The back of the fortress. There's nothing there but woods, so Capricorn didn't want to waste any of his men by making them look at trees for days on end.

"Now, the last time I was there with Ann, she was being held in the same room that Meggie was before she had to read the Shadow from the book. But they might have moved her. So, I need you, Silvertounge, to check that area first."

Silvertounge nodded. "I can do that. But what about you?"

It never ceased to amaze Dustfinger that even after all he had done to hurt the man and his family, he was still concerned for his safety.

"Don't worry about me. I know a way into Capricorns house. There is a back window in the crypt," Resa and Elinor shivered at the memory, "That has been covered up with wood and rocks for sometime. All I have to move is the stones and then burn away the wood and I'll be able to sneak inside the place from there."

Meggie suddenly piped up from behind her mother.

"How are you going to get inside the house if its locked on the outside?"

Dustfinger bent down a little to reach the girls height. She had grown over the years, but she still was a bit shorter than him.

"Don't worry about that princess; I still have some tricks up my sleeves that you don't know about. As well as some new ones."

The fire-eater straightened out his back and look at the clock on the wall besides the table. It read past midnight from what he could remember about the numbers.

"Heavens above Mortimer, I still can't believe that you are actually going to risk your life for this-this matchstick eater! Just look at all the trouble he caused before! Tricking you and your daughter into coming here, leading the men in black jackets here, stealing you, and then kidnapping you daughter! Of course we got her back as well as Resa, but he took the book and disappears for almost a year.

"Now he comes back asking for help and you risking your life to save some girl that you don't even now from the clutches of a man that you killed!"

Elinor was gasping for breath, her blood pressure rising by the second.

Resa patted her aunt's shoulder trying to calm her down and make her take a seat.

Meggie merely looked up at her fathers calm yet somehow frightened face.

"Because Elinor, every time I think of that girl in Capricorns hands, I think of that time when Meggie was in his hands as well. And how frightened she was. Never in my life would I wish that fear on someone else. That is why I've agreed to this, that is why I'm going to help Dustfinger.

Resa looked up at her husband and merely hugged him close. Even a person who had never experienced a loss of someone for years, could see the love she felt for him. She didn't want him to go back to the village, but she had written in the air that she agreed with Silvertounge that she would've done the same thing if it were Meggie.

"Mo, I want to come with you!" Meggie said.

Both men and Resa whipped their heads around to face the blond girl.

"No Meggie, absolutely not! I lost you once and never again am I going to take you near that wretched place. What are you thinking?"

"Oh I know what she thinking alright." Elinor said, getting to her feet once more, "Mortimer she doesn't want to let her father go either. And in all honesty I want to go too."

Dustfinger merely chuckled. He knew that both may just get in the way, but he noticed that Resa wanted to go as well, not leaving her daughter to her own adventure. Somewhere inside of him, he felt grateful that even though they had once spoke wrongly of his past, that they were now offering to help him get Ann back.

"Silvertounge, I'll let you go over this with your family. I know you don't want to risk their lives and I agree with you. But as you can clearly see, they don't want to risk leaving you either.

"I learned at a young age that you should always look after yourself but," Dustfinger laughed, "If I ever had this option, I would have taken this kind of family anytime."

Silvertounge sighed and looked at his small family, all faces looking eagerly up at him for his answer. But Dustfinger didn't stay to hear what it was.

Outside the chill air came as a pleasing feeling compared to what the stuffy house felt like.

So many thoughts were runny through Dustfingers head. The biggest one was the most important, and that was how close he was getting to getting Ann back in his arms and away from Capricorn.

The night stars shown brightly over the Italian sky, always reminding him of small flickers of fire caught in the dark.

Dustfinger noticed that his feet were leading him to a stroll around the yard, making him walk to the very spot where once a pleasant fire show had been performed for Meggie when she was younger. Whereas it was pleasant, it was also the most terrifying. It was when he had lead Basta to the home of the rich woman under Capricorns orders.

He shook his head. How stupid he had been to believing that that man would have given him a book, a chance to return home. Never again, never would he fall for something so gullible.

Headlights flashed into the yard over by the gate. Dustfinger stood in the shadows suddenly, his heart beating itself against his rib cage.

"I thought that woman said no one ever came to her house, especially at night." Dustfinger murmured to himself.

A shock ran through his veins, and all he could think about was to warn the others. Running straight for the back door, Dustfinger burst through and ran to Silvertounge with his family all in the living room. For a moment Dustfinger forgot the danger as he looked at the family and how they were all so calm and laughing. It made Dustfinger part envious because he himself had never had anything like that. But the family all noticed Dustfingers grave expression when he reached them and they all grew quiet. Silvertounge stood up and walked up to Dustfinger grasping his shoulders.

"Whats wrong Dustfinger?" Silvertounges voice was fearful.

"Shut the lights off, turn everything off and hide."

* * *

hehe cliffy! Sorry its takens so long to update, I hade a bit of a writers block. I wanted to get away from the P.O.V of Ann and Capricorn, and wanted to get into the plans that Dustfinger and Mo were taking to getting into the base. I dont know if there are woods behind the fortress of Capricorn, but in my story there is...lol

Anyway, please R&R I dont even care if yo flame!


	7. Chapter 7

Hey everyone, here's chapter 7. I am actually able to write some more due to the fact that we are having exams and all I really have to study is Physical Science shiver. OH! while watching Youtube, I noticed that its a bit different than the book, and this is upsetting me. Dont get me wrong, the movie looks good all the same, but some of the people they chose as the character is making my vision of Inkheart completely ruined.

Exibit A: Capricorn looks like some kind of...weird bald guy who loves 'ducktape'.

Exibit B: Basta looks plain ugly.

Exibit C: Fenoglio doesnt look like some turtle with black hair.

Exibit D: The church,(from what I've seen) isnt red or look like the belly of a monster.

Anyway, ignore my ranting and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Banging ran through the house as Basta and the other rammed their way into the house, the burglar alarm rang through their ears loudly.

"Shut that damned thing off before I have to cut someone for not doing it fast enough! And why in the hell is it so dark in here? Did any of you cut the power without my orders?" Basta looked at the two men behind him. Both of them shook their heads.

"No sir, none of us cut the power."

"Fine, but shut the alarm off or else." A growl issued from Basta's lips as he started searching. "That ringing is going to drive me insane if it stays on any longer. And once you get that thing turned off, search the house." Basta walked over to the nearest closet, ripped it open and broke everything else in it. "If their hiding somewhere, they'll have to come out sooner or later. Otherwise they wont have any place not broken to hide in."

Bookcases were turned over, tables flipped, and the men even started shooting the walls out of boredom. Everywhere they looked no one was home. The house itself was starting to look the worse for wary as the men continued to destroy its interior looking for those who lived in it. The men were determined to find out where the residents were hiding.

"I know I saw lights on in this house when we pulled up you idiot." Basta yelled into one of the men's faces when he told Basta that maybe no one was home. Whether it was from rage of fear no one could tell, but the men knew that Capricorn didn't like anyone coming back to base empty handed. No matter what they were looking for.

All of a sudden a fire started in the middle of the room where the three men were standing. Two of the men quickly hastened themselves out of the way, but Basta himself stumbled on things lying on the floor trying to get away from the fire as if it were a disease.

"What the hell— Basta was cut off as Dustfinger burst from the attic landing on top of the black jacket's shoulder and leaping with grace on the ground. Then, he quickly pulled out a small knife that the black jacket recognized as his own.

The other men, dazed from the fire as well as the man who seemed to appear from the ceiling, didn't notice Silvertounge also come from the attic. It was too late when the men realized that they should do something, when a poker for one of the house's many fireplaces, hit them on the heads.

"Dustfinger hurry this up, the longer you stall, the more time Ann has to spend with Capricorn." Silvertounge yelled over the fire that was starting to grow inside the house. It looked as though a bright orange flower was blooming all around them. But the heat coming from the flame proved that it was something to be wary of.

Hearing Ann's name mentioned, a smirk appeared on Basta's face.

"Ahhhh, I see. So you came back to Silvertounge's house looking for a way to get your precious girl back I see. How stupid can you be, Dirtyfingers? Don't you know that Capricorn is taken 'extra' care to see to it that Ann remains in his grasp? NO one and I mean NO one is ever going to get even an inch near that girl unless Lord Capricorn has a say about it. What makes you think that Silvertounge will be of any use to you once he goes back to the village? After all, I was sent here to get him for Lord Capricorns use."

Hearing Basta explain to Dustfinger how he was sent to the home to gather Silvertounge, made him realize just how stupid he really was. If he took Silvertounge with him to get Ann, and they somehow got captured, then all he was doing was making things worse for Ann and himself. As well as endangering Silvertounge and his family all over again.

"What ever you say Basta. I see that you're still afraid of the fire as always. Yet another weakness for Capricorn to be ashamed of you. Tell me, are you still treating that man with the same respect even though you mean nothing to him and are just a pawn. I mean he was going to feed you to the Shadow. And even when the man died, you lived. Though I don't know how. Maybe Capricorn is seeing that as a sign of the fact that you don't still think so highly of him now. Maybe that's why he sent you here to do the dirty work that usually Flatnose or someone else is left to do."

Dustfinger could see that his words were deeply angering the black jacket before him, and he was starting to wonder it taunting the man was such great idea. Fire may be on his side, but in this world, it didn't understand when he was calling for help.

Resa, Meggie, and Elinor had managed to make it outside of the now burning home while Silvertounge dragged the unconscious men outside.

"Heavens above…all my books, all my brand new precious darlings burning inside of my home. Right now my house is nothing but a bonfire. And my children are the fuel for such an atrocious thing." Elinor was in tears as she remembered the last time her books were burned, back when they first encountered the black jackets and Capricorn. But last time she at least had her second hand books unscathed. Now though, all of her belongings and darlings were burning away.

Resa tried comforting her aunt while Meggie stared at the fire, its flames reflecting off of her tear soaked face. All of her books were inside as well. Along with all of her other treasures.

Silvertounge tied the two black jackets to a tree that lay farthest from the house, and went over to his mourning family.

Elinor, and broken marionette, Resa a quiet saddened bird, and Meggie. Silvertounge walked over to his daughter and allowed the girl to soak his shirt with her tears.

After a few moments of pulling herself together, Meggie realized that the scarred face of Dustfinger was not among them.

"Mo, where's Dustfinger?" She asked, looking around.

"He's…he's inside the house." Was all he could mange.

The house sudden blew up in flames, two figures were thrown outside of the window near the front door.

Not wasting a second, Silvertounge ran over to where the figures lay on the ground with some embers starting to alight on their clothing.

Basta was unconscious with a bleeding wound on his face, arms, and chest. It scarred Silvertounge at times like these when he couldn't see the fire eater using a knife against someone unless he really wanted to hurt someone.

Dustfinger, coughing and hacking up smoke, slowly made his was to his feet. Stumbling a bit until he was able to regain his footing, looked up at the concerned face of Silvertounge.

"Got a bit of grass stuck in my mouth after that fall." The fire eater pulled a brown piece of grass from his mouth and made a disgusted face at the small plant.

Out of all the things the man could have said, he had to make a comment about how a piece of grass got in his mouth. Silvertounge just couldn't believe it. Resa and the others also noticed that Dustfinger was out of the now destructed home, then all ran over to him. They were relieved to see that he was alright, but when they saw who he brought with him, they were confused.

"Why in blazes did you save that wretched man!" Elinor shouted. "Look at what he's done, look at what he did to my home, look at what he did you my family, and look at what he did to my now ashen children!" The woman had to break down in tears.

"I had too…" Dustfinger replied. "If he didn't call back to Capricorn then he is going to suspect something is going wrong."

"And how exactly are we going to get him to talk and call Capricorn?" Silvertounge spoke up, after calming Elinor and walking to stand beside the fire eater, who was tying up all three men with some rope that was in his small little bag.

"First we put them in the car that they brought with them, and then on the way we have Basta call the base. Of course," Dustfinger chuckled. "He's going to need some 'persuasion' to call and not give us away."

Silvertounge nodded.

And with some help, they managed to fit all of them inside the small car and then rode off in the direction of the one place they all wished to never visit again.

* * *

You know what to do, please R&R! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! 


	8. Chapter 8

Corrected some spelling, and added maybe a couple of new sentences. EnjoY!

* * *

"You stupid girl!" Flatnose yelled.

A fire started in the middle of the church where the men all sat and ate. The place smelled of roasted meats, wine, rum, pastries, and more all because of the haul that the men brought in from another unfortunate family. Ann couldn't stand how the men could just sit and eat of what the family had, with no remorse or any bad feelings at all. The men weren't born this way, so what had gone wrong with them as children? Ann would never understand. All she knew, was that it was raining out, she was bored, and Flatnose was still her bodyguard until Capricorn found that she no longer needed one.

The leader himself sat at his throne at the head of the church, a bored expression played across of his face. Today he dressed in yet another suit of red and black, making his white eyes stick out more than usual. But amusement showed when he noticed the flame catch at the flat faced man's jacket. He didn't care what happened about what happened to his men, as long as they did what was told, then they could live. If not…

"Damn it Ann! What the hell is wrong with you?! When I get my hands on your neck you'll wish you never caught my jacket on fire!"

While the man was roaring his head off, his jacket continued to burn, making the church begin to smell of burning leather.

"Oops! Sorry Flatnose, I guess my match got a little too close to your jacket. You know you really shouldn't wear that thing to dinner, after all you'll get food caught on your sleeves." The girl laughed. Ann was feeling more and more chaotic now that she had been at the black jackets base for a while, and she was feeling her hope slowly fade away, along with her faith of Dustfinger.

Ann's thoughts were interrupted when she felt a pair of large hands wrap themselves tightly around her slim neck. She let out a gasping breath.

"Gotcha! And now your gonna pay back for your little stunt against my jacket—"

"Flatnose, release her. I can assure you that you would be doing something much more disrupting if you were in Ann's position right now. Now release her and finish eating. It's a time for celebrating, not fighting." Capricorns voice held some amusement as he saw his servants satisfying grin falter when he ordered Ann's release. "Let her go Flatnose."

But Flatnose didn't let go of the girl. Instead, he grabbed both the girls' arms and flung her towards another table full of eating black jackets. The man was tired of seeing the girl get away with every little thing she did. Whether it was throwing rocks, kicking him, mocking him, and even lighting him on fire. Enough was enough.

"No! I'm sorry my Lord, but she is making you go soft on punishment these days! I mean everything she does to us, your men, she gets away with. Just the other day she tripped Cockerel and you know how bad his limp is and then she threw a limb at Tailgater!"

Ann groaned as she hit the ground with a 'thump' and landed on several glasses and plates while the men moved far away from her. They didn't move because of her, no, they moved because of Capricorns glare. Capricorn, once holding the bored expression, suddenly was the most fearsome man on the planet. But, before the man could make a move toward his insubordinate, Ann was suddenly on her feet and attacking Flatnose.

"You bloody BASTARD!" Ann yelled. She jumped onto his back and reached to his face to scratch him across his face. "YOU THINK I ENJOY STAYING HERE WITH ALL OF YOU? YOU THINK I ENJOY HEARING ABOUT WHAT YOU DO TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO DOESN'T WEAR A DAMN BLACK JACKET? WELL YOUR WRONG YOU FLAT FACED MORON!" Ann by now had made several deep gashes into the mans face, and Flatnose was suddenly gasping for breath while the girl on his back tried to choke him. "YOU TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME! YOU…you…took Dustfinger…"

The once angry, hellcat looking Ann, suddenly sobbed. All the anger she had was pouring out of her, and now all she had left was sadness and cuts. That's all she ever had.

Capricorn walked over the Ann, and pulled her away from Flatnose, who as soon was free of Ann; fell on the ground holding his face in pain.

The pale man led Ann over to his seat, while he walked over to Flatnose and pulled the man up by the scruff of his neck.

"So dear Flatnose, you think that my discipline is going soft do you? Well, how about we show everyone here how 'soft' I've gotten, hmmm? Now kneel." Capricorn ordered, his hands glowing the deadly black. "Kneel now or else you're going to feel oh so much worse when I'm through with you." With that, Flatnose knelt in front of his leader, already shaking from fear.

"I'd advise you all to stand back unless you wish to intervene and get exactly what your comrade is going to receive."

Much shuffling went throughout the small church as the men got as far away as they could from the other man.

With everyone out of the way, Capricorn looked over to where Ann was sitting, tears were leaking through her closed eyes, and she was silently sobbing.

Black now dripping from his hands, Capricorn raised his hand, no whip, no knife, nothing but his bare hand and its black exterior. "Now Flatnose, time to see what you think is 'soft' about how I run things here.

The man flung down his hand to strike…

When his phone went off.

Capricorn stopped in mid-strike as his phone started ringing in his pocket. The man had gotten one ever since he found one off of a villager in a nearby town. He was intrigued by it, stole the villagers, and had been using it ever since and even ordered all of his other men to get one as to keep in tact of each other.

The phone continued to sing its little ring as Capricorn put his hand down, it finally back to its normal color, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the small device that was showing 'Black Jacket' on its caller I.D.

"Well, well." Capricorn said to himself. "Its looks like you've been spared for now my black jacket. But I suggest you get out of my presence this instant before I change my mind after the call."

With no further words, Flatnose left along with all of the other men. Leaving only Capricorn, the maids who were picking up the mess, and Ann inside of the bloody building.

Capricorn answered his phone, the speaker on.

"What is it?" He said, anticipation clear in his voice.

A few moments of static before a voice became clear on the other end of the line.

Basta.

"Boss, I…I didn't find Silvertounge. He's gone. We arrived at the fat old wench's house, and there was nothing there. When we arrived we thought that we had seen lights on in the house so we pulled up with the lights off to sneak up on them. Me and the others searched for hours looking for anything that may have shown where they went but…" Basta stopped and struggling was heard.

"My Lord, Silvertounge is here in the car! There driving to the base and they have Dirtyfingers along with Silvertounge's family they—

Basta was cut off as Dustfingers voice was heard in the background.

"Damn it Silvertounge, I told you, you had to continue to hold the knife to his throat otherwise it wasn't going to work now, now he knows."

Ann, acting as if fire had lit her face, jumped from the throne and ran down to where Capricorn was standing.

"Dustfinger!" She yelled.

Clearly the man heard her and yelled back. "Ann! Ann were coming to get you, were going to take you away from there and you'll never have to see that damned village again. I told you I was coming for you; I would never leave you with him."

"How touching Dustfinger." Capricorn said with venom in every word. "Though, don't you know its not good to raise ones hopes like that. I mean after all she wouldn't be here if you didn't leaver her in the first place. Now, that just seems uncaring to me."

"Capricorn, Capricorn please let me talk to him!" Ann jumped for the phone. But with the man being several times taller than her, merely held it up like a taunting child that had taken something and was making the other reach to gain it back. It was tearing Ann up inside.

"Please, all I want to do is talk to him! Capricorn!" The girl was struck in the face. Ann fell to the ground, holding her cheek gently while staring up at the man before her. He truly hated to see her like that. The way her eyes were slowly loosing the fire in them. The way she looked like a caged bird. But, it was the only way for her to stay his, and if that is what it would take to keep her, then so be it.

"Ann? Capricorn what did you do with Ann!?" Dustfinger yelled into the phone. He heard the smack in the phone and knew something was wrong.

"She is fine. She'll be even better knowing that you are coming. Come to me Dustfinger, come to me with everything and everyone I need. I'll be waiting."

"No wait—"

Capricorn hung up the phone and looked down at Ann, his stare both saddened and bizarre.

"And so the prey comes, though they know of their fate before them…" He said, then grabbed Ann and walked her to her room across from his.

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R&R and I wont give you a cookie, but another chapter! (if you leave nice reviews though, I'll think about the cookie!)


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry to all of you who have been waiting for a update for a while. I have several chapter's I'm working on for another story, and I was still kinda in a block on what to write about for this chapter. Also, thanks to all of you who have reviewed! You guys have no idea how happy it makes me feel that people actually like what I'm writing. It also makes my day to see what some of you say.

Yay! Dustfinger and the others are on their way to get Ann! But of course, now Capricorn 'cause Basta had to go ahead and open his big mouth and blurt it out, and Ann now knows that Dustfinger is finally coming for her, so she has something to look forward too XD.

I'll shut up now, enjoy!

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"Damn it!" Dustfinger yelled as he heard the phone 'click' on the other end. He felt the disturbing urge to kill. To kill anything near him at that moment. But after a few moments of cooling down, Dustfinger looked at the others in the giant vehicle that Silvertounge had when he drove them to the fat woman's house. Each of the characters in the car was looking at him. Even Silvertounge glanced at him from the mirror in the car.

"How is she?' Meggie asked, concerned.

The fire-eater looked at her and managed a small smile. "She…I don't really know princess. She tried to talk to me, but Capricorn wouldn't allow her. I could hear her in the background, she sounded so miserable. And it's all my fault."

Dustfinger dug his head into his hands, trying to hide the tears threatening to fall.

Meggie could only look at the man who once she always was uncertain about and gave her the unusual smile, as he wallowed in misery.

"Don't worry Dustfinger, once we get there, we'll get her out of that village and get rid of Capricorn for good. Though, I still can't understand how that damned man came back! I mean, I read the paper that Fenoglio wrote, and we all watched him and his men die. There must be another writer, or someone who can read like me and Meggie."

Resa looked at her tired and confused husband, and patted his arm in a comforting gesture. Elinor had remained silent ever since they got in Mortimer's van and was seated only two seats away from the man tied in the back.

Basta, if looks could kill, stared at every person in the car with as much venom as he could muster hoping that they all died on the spot. The man had gained a few bruises after he had blurted out that they were all coming to retrieve Ann. Then, after making a few comments about how stupid they all were, going straight to their deaths, and how Ann was probably going to be disposed of after Capricorn was done with her, did he gain a few more bruises and black eye. Dustfinger even had the satisfaction of gagging the man so that he wouldn't make anymore 'unnecessary' comments.

"I don't see how were going to get her out. Capricorn knows that we're coming now, and he's going to have place swarmed with guards. If only—."

Silvertounge cut him off, "I was not going to hold that knife any closer to his neck Dustfinger. I take no pleasure in using knives or anything in that manner that causes someone harm!"

"Even if the man wouldn't have thought twice about using that very knife against you!? You know that if Basta was untied right now, that we would all be dead, and that he wouldn't feel any regret for our bleeding bodies dead and cold in the car! I cant believe that you are still so stupid after all that we have been through, that you would be so soft on someone who had threatened your family, and your very life!"

"Just because he would use it against us, doesn't mean I'm going to become like him and use that knife on his throat! I know for a fact that you yourself have no pleasure it cutting others up with weapons! So do not tell me that I should become what he is Dustfinger, especially in front of my wife and daughter."

The car grew quiet as the two's fighting died down and the tension slowly dissipated from each other. Silvertounge continued his driving while Resa and Meggie slept on the small couch in the camper van, and Elinor slept in her chair, she still didn't speak a whole word the entire time since she had entered the van, her face strained with fear. But now, her face held a calm expression.

_I wonder if Ann had been able to sleep the way they sleep now, to sleep peacefully. To dream of being somewhere far away from knives, red churches, and black jackets. And to dream of never being alone._

Dustfinger smiled a soft sweet smile as he remembered a time when he and Ann were sitting near a lake in the Inkworld, and how they had brought up the topic of their greatest fears. Dustfinger told her that his fear was of being somewhere where he couldn't light a match and see its orange flames. Ann had laughed, her face so carefree. But when he asked her, her answer didn't surprise him one bit. Because that was his true fear.

Being alone.

The two grew quiet after telling their fears, then Ann stood up and walked to the lakes edge. Her eyes distant, but she started to sing of all things. Never once had Dustfinger ever saw Ann sing. He didn't even know that she knew how. After all, the Prince and him had only ever taught her the things they knew, such as playing with fire and throwing knives. Her voice though, it was soft and he would never forget it.

Dustfinger closed his eyes at the memory and played her song in his head.

_I waited for you today  
But you didn't show  
No no no  
I needed You today  
So where did You go?  
You told me to call  
Said You'd be there  
And though I haven't seen You  
Are You still there?_

The memory of when Dustfinger had to leave Ann that one horrible night, played in his mind, how he told her that he would come back for her, no matter what. And how she was trying so hard to come with him, to not be left for Capricorn to steal. What was she thinking as he left her?_  
_

_I cried out with no reply  
And I can't feel You by my side  
So I'll hold tight to what I know  
You're here and I"m never alone_

Did Ann ever cry out for him? Did she know that all he ever thought about was going back to her, holding her, and never letting her go? He told her that no matter what, that he was with her. _  
_  
_And though I cannot see You  
And I can't explain why  
Such a deep, deep reassurance  
You've placed in my life  
_

Dustfinger chuckled, Ann made a place of her in his heart and his life. And she would never understand how she affected him. How when it was only the Prince and him that he still felt left out in the world. That whenever he looked around, things were bleak with no life, and that they only thing keeping him sane was his fire, his friend, and the thought of life. For Dustfinger was terrified, and didn't know if he even had the courage to die if he wanted too. But he no longer had to worry about death, because he wanted to live because of Ann.

_We cannot separate  
'Cause You're part of me  
And though You're invisible  
I'll trust the unseen  
_  
_We cannot separate  
You're part of me  
And though You're invisible  
I'll trust the unseen_

Dustfinger's eyes drooped slowly as sleep started to over come him. Ann's song, still playing in his head, was his lullaby. Even if he couldn't hear it out loud, hearing it inside of his head was enough to make him dream of being with Ann once more. That he would be with her, they would return to the Inkworld…

"And never be alone." The fire-eater mumbled as he finally slunk into a deep slumber.

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You know what to do! R&R please, and I'll try and update sooner! 


	10. Chapter 10

Im sorry everyone that it took me a while to update. I kept having two differnt ideas for this chapter, but finally came up with one while sitting in class and thinking about what to add to my story.

Capricorn may be a little OOC at the end, but he may be finally realizing that he just might be keeping Ann for a different reason other than just to use her. But anyway enjoy and leave comments!

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Ann gloomily sat in her room for the next day while she could hear Capricorn making preparations for anything that was to happen when Dustfinger and the others showed up. As soon as Capricorn put her in her room that consisted of a bed and dresser, she heard the lock on the door encase her inside the room and orders being yelled out. But Ann was feeling worse because she knew that if she tried anything to stop them, then that would mean another family would have to suffer because of her. So all she could do was sit and allow Dustfinger come to his fate with open arms. Just the thought of her fire-eater dieing because of her was making tears silently stream down her face.

"Why. All we ever wanted to do was to play with fire and have a nice life. But then we get read into this damn world with its dangerous secrets along with the most hateful man to ever walk among pages and this world." Ann stood and walked over to a corner on the far side of the room and slide down the wall to huddle on the ground.

Holding her knees to her chest, Ann remembered how she would often sit the same way when her father, The Black Prince, would tell her tales that often would frighten her (even though before he told her the tale, he warned her but she wished to hear it anyway) and she would sit the exact same way and sob because of nightmares.

"I wish. If only this was one giant nightmare and when I wake up father will tell me its time to perform and stop slacking off. Then Dustfinger will teach me and new trick. And after we're done, we'll celebrate. Just like we did when…" The memories were flooding her thoughts and Ann couldn't stop crying for when seemed like hours.

"Yea, Lord Capricorn told me to hold the phone incase that dirty fire-eater called back and had some more news. No…No I'm standing guard. Yes I know that its time to eat you dumb-ass but if I leave my post then you can tell Lord Capricorn why no ones here." Ann heard the guard outside of her window talking to another black jacket and it seemed that one of them had something that she needed. The phone.

While living in the non Inkworld Ann had seen some of the devices that the people used and the phone was the most recognizable one that Ann could seem to remember because it held lots of numbers. But she learned something else that could save her and Dustfingers life. Caller ID.

"All I have to do is sneak out, get the phone away from the black jacket, I look up the caller ID that Dusty used from another phone, and hopefully he still has it. And then call Dustfinger to tell him that I escaped! Then he won't come here, we'll run away, and everything will be back to the way it was before all of this."

Ann walked up to the bedroom door and knocked on it several times.

"Hey Flatnose, Cockerell, anybody out there? I need to use the bathroom!"

She heard the familiar voice of somebody who sounded like their nose was being pinched. Flatnose. "The hell you want Ann!"

"I need to use the bathroom!"

"Hold it girly, I'm not supposed to let you out."

"But I really got to go Flatnose!"

"I don't care. Lord Capricorn told me that you have to stay in that room or else I get to suffer his temper."

Ann was getting desperate. She had to leaving the room and try to get to the phone.

"Just tell him that I had to use the bathroom; I'm sure he'll understand. I'll be real quick and no one will ever know that you even left!"

A long silence hung over the room and Ann swore she could hear Flatnose's head making noises while he was trying to think about it.

"You make it real quick you hear, and if you start any trouble--."

The door lock was removed and as soon as Ann saw the door start to open towards Flatnose, Ann kicked the door ramming it back into the mans face and knocking him out cold. She tiptoed over the mans unconscious body and looked both ways while in the hallway to check for anyone who may have been walking by. Lucky for her, the guards were on different shifts at that moment. Ann grabbed Flatnose and dragged him inside of her room to hide his body from any passerby's; she stopped and looked at his face. "You know Flatnose, I thought that your face couldn't get any flatter than it is now, but I have to say that this look really doesn't suit you. No, scratch that, no look will ever suit you."

She laughed to herself and grabbed the keys that Flatnose had been in the process of removing before he was so graciously knocked out, and went to the maid's rooms. Where the laundry was left while they cooked the meals. "I need that phone, and knowing Capricorn, he probably told anyone to report to him if they saw me. So that means…" Ann smirked and grabbed one of the smaller outfits for the younger black jackets among the crows. Quickly slipping her black attire on, Ann slipped outside with a extra gun to add to her disguise.

"I know he was outside so where did he go?"

Ann looked around for the man she saw outside of her room not but an hour ago.

"He said he couldn't leave his post, so he should be here. Damn! Why does everything have to be so difficult!?" She was fuming to herself while she searched what seemed like the whole village. Finally, after an hour of looking for the man, she spotted him shooting tabbies with a few other men.

_Ok, now that I'm here, how do I get the phone? I suppose I could just walk up and ask for the phone…No! Are you stupid? Not even Flatnose…never mind he would fall for that. It needs to be more creative._

"Hey!" Ann yelled out to the man.

All of the courage that Ann had with her while searching for the man suddenly faded when she saw the looks they were giving her.

"What do you want pipsqueak? Lost yer mommy and need help find her?" All the men laughed the joke making Ann flush in anger.

"Lord Capricorn has ordered that you hand over the phone that he authorized you with so that he may call Dust-Dirtyfingers back." She almost slipped with the nomakingfunof term of the fire-eaters name. The men on the other hand didn't notice her slip and looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

"Listen lad, and listen well. Lord Capricorn told me to hold this here phone, and that nobody else could. So whatever yer trying to pull ya better knock it off before something bad happens."

Ann expected as much from the orders that Capricorn gave, and she already knew what response would grant her her prize.

"Aaalllrrriiiggghhhttt," Ann said sigh like, "But Lord Capricorn isn't going to like the fact that you aren't going to listen to his orders the first time. But oh well." Ann shrugged her shoulders and slowly walked away, but not far enough as to not hear the men whispering franticly about what to do. Finally, after some yelling Ann was called back.

"Oy, wait." The man yelled. A scared expression lay on his face.

"Yea, what do you want? I can't waste anymore time with you otherwise its going to be my head that gets yelled at." Hands on her hips, Ann made a very serious expression for one trying to not laugh at the mans eagerness to follow orders.

"Heres the phone, and tell Lord Capricorn that I apologize for making you late."

"Will do sir!" Ann smiled and then ran off.

After Ann found a secluded spot away from any peering eyes, Ann franticly searched through the phones past calls, praying for any god in the world she was in, that the call would still be on the phone and not erased. "Come on, please be here." Ann said, pressing all the buttons she could remember from all the other phones trying to find the little icon phone symbol on the device that showed passed calls. Then when she found it, Ann went down the names trying to find the one she so desperately wanted.

"Yes! I found it!" She finally found the name Basta on the phone and the time that the phone called. It was the same time that she remembered when Dustfinger called.

Ann pressed the redial button and waited while the phone rang, hoping that someone would pick up on the other line.

Footsteps crunched on the fallen leaves that surrounded the old cottage from which Ann was hiding. His temper was surprisingly calm for someone who didn't want any distractions from his plan. But when a man came into the church, the one who was holding the phone from which calls were made, and apologized for not handing the phone over to the 'lad' sooner. As soon as the words left he black jackets mouth, he stood from his throne and went to Ann's room. The door was unlocked, and when he stepped inside of the small room, he found Flatnose on the ground unconscious along with a bloody nose. Going back to the black jacket he asked which way the lad ran off too, the man pointed toward the farther east side of the village. He immediately ran in the direction pointed, ordering no following black jackets. Only for them to resume their work and not bother him.

After a while of searching, he found the 'lad' searching through the phone and talking quietly to 'herself'.

Capricorn found Ann, and she didn't even realize it.

After the fifth ring the phone exploded in Ann's hands. She fell to the ground clutching her scraped face and watched as the small pieces of her hope fell on the dirt. Ever singly piece of the phone was a burning crisp and Ann could only stare in shock and despair. That was her last hope of ever getting out of the village and it just exploded in her hand.

"What the--."

"I'm afraid dear Ann that no one is going to receiving calls from you. Especially Dustfinger."

Ann whipped her head around to face Capricorn. Suddenly her hands felt as if they were bound, and she realized that she couldn't move them. She was trapped once more and she couldn't even punch the man. Capricorn bent down and pulled a blood red handkerchief from his breast pocket and gently wiped the smears of blood on her face away.

"Ann I'm surprised at you. Even after all the threats I test you with, the bodyguards, the weeks you've been here, you still are acting like a child that isn't getting their way and is doing everything they can to get attention."

"I am not a child Capricorn. And anyway, even if I was one, you would be the last person I would've ever looked to for attention. In fact, I believe it was you who found me as a child and 'forced' my attention on you during a performance." Ann was glaring at the man as he continued to gently wipe her face.

"Yes that was me who held your gaze, but Ann. Don't forget, if I want something, I always get it. No matter who stands in my way."

Capricorn stood up and put the red handkerchief away, he looked down at the girl who had stole his gaze many years ago, and not a day goes by that he didn't think about making her belong to him. And now that she was in his grasp, he finally felt totally in control of everyone.

"Now, should I carry you or would you prefer to sit their all day?"

"Why can't I just walk?"

"Because my dear," The man said chuckling, "I can't trust you not to run away."

Ann shivered as the night air was finally taking its toll on her body.

"I would like to go back please." She whispered.

Capricorn merely nodded his head and scooped up the girl, who seemed to stay close to take in his warmth.

After Ann was fed, and she was cleaned up by the maids, she was placed back in her room. Not before getting a slap on the face by Mortola who yelled at her for causing Capricorn so much trouble and making him go out after her so many times. Ann sat on the warm bed and thought to herself. Every plan she had seemed to blow up in her face (no pun intended lol) and she started to figure that maybe should would never escape from the village. A song suddenly came to her memory. Dustfinger had once sung her a song as a child, and to that very day she could remember it. Just thinking of it made tears come to her eyes, and Ann then started to sing softly to herself.

_I've been watching your world from afar,  
I've been trying to be where you are,  
And I've been secretly falling apart,  
I'll see.  
To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,  
You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see,  
You turn every head but you don't see me. _

I'll put a spell on you,  
You'll fall asleep and I'll put a spell on you.  
And when I wake you,  
I'll be the first thing you see, lyricstop  
And you'll realise that you love me.

Yeah...  
Yeah...

Sometimes, the last thing you want comes in first,  
Sometimes, the frist thing you want never comes,  
And I know, the waiting is all you can do,  
Sometimes...

I'll put a spell on you,  
You'll fall asleep,  
I'll put a spell on you,  
And when I wake you,  
I'll be the first thing you see,  
And you'll realise that you love me.

I'll put a spell on you,  
You'll fall asleep 'cos I'll put a spell on you,  
And when I wake you,  
I'll be the first thing you see,  
And you'll realize that you love me, yeah...

yeah...  
yeah...  
yeah...  
yeah... 

Capricorn heard ever word that was sung from behind the bedroom door that belonged to Ann. And he suddenly felt guilt. He felt as though he caged a bird that would only sings songs of sadness and it was his fault.

"But she will still be mine and that's all that matters." He said softly. After waiting for a while, Capricorn softly crept into Ann's room, seeing her asleep.

"If only you know how you're changing me. How it hurts for me to do such cruel things to you. But soon you will realize that you love me and forget all about that matchstick eater." He said softly and then placed a surprisingly tender kiss to Ann's forehead and leaving the girl to her dreams.

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The song is Strange and Beautiful by Aqualung and its one of my favs! Please R&R 


	11. Chapter 11

Sorry it took so long to update guys! I was having a bit of trouble writing out what I wanted to happen with Dustfinger in this chater, and now finally I got it down! XD BUT, anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, cause finally Dustfinger and Ann are reunited!! Although, Capricorn is still trouble for everyone, he is still fighting for Ann, even if it means that she doesnt want to be with him.

I'll shut up now, enjoy!

A loud thump woke Dustfinger from his sleep

A loud thump woke Dustfinger from his sleep. Though it was peaceful, and Dustfinger felt a bit better, he was unnerved for his dream was nothing but black. Never before had that ever happened to him. But he didn't ponder on it. In the world he was in, nothing was weird about not having a dream. The fire-eater glanced at the others who were awake the same as he. The only problem was that they were all deathly silent. Dustfinger slowly rose from his seat, almost being tripped by the tied up Basta, who had tried and maneuver his feet in his way as to trip him up. The man felt an urge to kick the tied up knifeman, but held back his anger knowing it would do him no good beating up a man that couldn't fight back. Also, if Basta ever got out of his restraints, then he would most defiantly give Dustfinger a few more cuts on his already marred face.

When Dustfinger looked around, he noticed that they were at the road when the bridge connected to the village. He looked around for Silvertounge to ask him what the devil they were doing at the entrance and just sitting there, he noticed that the man was outside of the van and now looking over a tire with the fat woman and his daughter.

"Silvertounge, what's going on?" Yelled the fire-eater from the inside of the vehicle. The reader looked up from his examination of the car and had a look of annoyance on his readable face.

"There was glass on the road, probably thrown here by the men, and it seems that we now have a flat tire and cannot go any farther." Silvertounge sighed and ran a hand through his hair angrily. The fat woman looked at both of the men and then her face grew red as a beet.

"Well we can't just stand here and wait for more men to show up at the bridge Mortimer! We have to get this damn car somewhere and fast. Or would you rather we were taken inside of the village by force instead of sneaking in as originally planned?"

The woman put her hands on her hips as she waited for a reply, making the night silent where the animals in the night could make themselves heard.

"Mo, how about we move the van…well we might have to push it over the drop next to the bridge. We obviously can't move in into the woods, it would never get past any of the trees. So we might have to push it over the cliff like we had to do with Elinor's car…like last time."

Dustfinger looked at Meggie with sadness and with awe. He knew that it hurt her to think of the last time that she was at this village, and yet she was calm and was now telling her father something that he should have thought of in the first place.

"Silvertounge, I think your daughter is right. We can't push it up back to the road or push it into the woods, so our only choice is right off the cliff. And we need to do it quickly otherwise we just might be going to the village as hostages rather than sneaking in." With that said Dustfinger went back inside of the van and started dragging the struggling knifeman out of the van. "And, I'm quiet surprised that I would ever be saying this, but we need to bring him along. I don't agree with killings unless I'm in a position where it's my life over his that instant. So, we bring this idiot along, and then once across the bridge, we can leave him at one of the abandoned houses. Maybe one of his comrades will find him.

Basta gave such a heated glare towards Dustfinger, that he was actually thinking of leaving the man inside of the van after all.

"Your right Dustfinger. I know that this man would kill us on the spot, but I don't like senseless killings either. So, lets get the van off the road now and head to the village quickly."

Everyone helped with pushing the van (besides the tied up 'idiot') and they successfully were able to get the van over the cliff and they watched it fall into the black depths below the bridge. After getting the van off of the road, Dustfinger and Mortimer grabbed Basta and dragged him across the bridge with Elinor and Meggie behind them following quickly, remembering how far the drop was and how even the first time they crossed it they weren't comfortable.

Once across the bridge, the village was only a couple miles of a walk. But they soon found out that those few miles was taking more out of them than they thought. And soon, all of them were barely walking. Meggie was so exhausted that she looked to be falling asleep standing up, Elinor was sitting on the ground grabbing her feet mumbling about her poor darlings that were once again suffering because of the atrocious village, and Dustfinger and Mortimer were having it they worst. It seemed that Basta was finding it the perfect time to make the walk miserable by kicking his feet and even struggling while the two men tried dragging him along. Soon, after Basta successfully struck Dustfinger in the back of his leg, making him stumble once more, the fire-eater stopped dragging the man and turned to Basta.

"That's it!" He yelled. "That is the fifth time you've made me stumble over my own damn feet and I'm tired of it." And before anyone could stop him, Dustfinger kicked Basta, aiming for the gut, and ended up hitting the man right where the sun don't shine.

Basta immediately stopped struggling and gained an expression of immense pain in his eyes, almost to the point of tears.

Silvertounge grabbed the venting Dustfinger and slowly pulled him away.

"That was a little uncalled for Dustfinger, I mean right there? I know that he's been causing trouble for everyone so far, but he's just trying to make you crack, to finally give in. All you're doing is making things a bit more painful to bear."

"Oh don't worry Silvertounge; I think he's doing the pain bearing right at this moment." Dustfinger chuckled, looking at the still pain struck Basta.

The moon glowed brightly over the shackled home of the Devil's Village. Dustfinger swiftly moved from shadow to shadow, avoiding the gleams of the moon as wells as the search lights that Capricorn had secured around the area. He knew that they would try and sneak in, but he didn't know that there was only one of him and that he didn't have to worry about Silvertounge and the others getting harmed by bringing them along.

"It was stupid of me to bring them along anyway. Capricorn wanted them in the first place to make his plans successful. And I was the idiot who didn't think about that and brought them along. Like death with open arms." He mumbled to himself as he narrowly avoided another light.

Silvertounge and the others had to stop after night avoided them while they were walking. And once the sun came over the hills, they all needed a rest. The fat woman could no longer walk, along with Meggie who was practically sleep walking, and Silvertounge, who had been carrying a man for miles along with Dustfinger, was exhausted. They could no longer walk any farther and had to find a secluded spot to rest.

But as soon as Dustfinger saw the day slip by, and the others weren't waking any time soon, he took his chance and headed towards the village himself to retrieve Ann.

"All I have to find out is where's she's at, find a way to let her know I'm here, and then get her out of this village once an for all." He stopped and ruffled his hair as he realized how ridiculous he sounded. Everything in his mind was so easy, when actually he knew it was going to be near impossible to get inside. But he was willing to try anything.

After searching through the windows around the church, he finally realized that that was exactly where Ann was at. He found out that Ann's room was right next to Capricorns room. When Dustfinger heard that, he could barely manage not burning the man who had been talking about the girl. But before losing his temper, he quickly ran to the church to see Ann. The whole way to the church his body was shaking, from either fear, or eagerness, he didn't know. All he knew was that he was about to see Ann after several weeks.

Once reaching the church, Dustfinger found a way to reach the rafters at the top of the building, and an idea struck him. He climbed up the side of the church with the help of loose bricks and thick vines, Dustfinger was able to crawl through a small space in the wall, and finally managed to get inside.

The first thing that came to his mind was the smell. Fresh foods, wines, and other foods drifted up to the rafter. A celebration was going on below.

Ever single black-jacket seemed to be in the church. All of them were drunk laughing, and dancing around a small fire burning with the help of chairs and pews from the church. And it seemed that the men had nothing to fear at the moment as their leader sat at the front of the church with his prize on his lap.

"Ann!" Dustfinger seethed in anger as he saw Ann sitting in the arms of Capricorn, looking miserable, while the leader stroked her hair in a calming motion. Ann looked tired, and silent. No expression was showing on her face as the party continued around her. He saw Capricorn whisper something in her ear, and it seemed that she looked like she was about to break down. But Ann merely stood up and moved her arms in a familiar motion.

Soon, the fire exploded into separate directions, and the flames turned into men looking flames. And the fire creatures soon began dancing just like the crows.

Ann stood looking at her creation with a smile glimpse of a smile on her face as she saw what she was able to create. Then, Capricorn stood up and walked behind Ann, putting his arms around her and smiling like a boy who had gotten his way. The girls smile disappeared as soon as the man put his arms around her.

"That's right my men! Enjoy this joyous occasion in which we will all soon be back in our own world, ruling what is ours, and taking what we want! And once Silvertounge is here in our grasp, he will read us into our world, along with our fire-eaters, who will help with our rule."

Ann looked away from the grinning stares as the men cheered on with their ruler. Dustfinger knew that he had to get her attention somehow. But how?

Then while thinking, Dustfinger remembered the matches that lay at the bottom of his jacket and knew that if Ann looked up at the rafters she would be able to see a small light coming from the matches' flames. They only draw back was that if any of the men happened to look up before her, they would realize that he was in the church. He had to try though.

Finally Ann looked up at the rafters after what seemed like hours, and then she saw Dustfingers small flame.

A smile came across her face and she finally realized that he had come, that Dustfinger was there to save her. At that precise moment Capricorn saw the small flame and realized the same thing as Ann did. And quickly, he grabbed a small pistol from one of the drunk crows, and shot at the men with lightning speed.

"NO!" Ann yelled, moving Capricorns hand at the last minute, making his aim off. None the less, the bullet skimmed Dustfingers arm, and with a quick shout, Dustfinger lost his footing in the rafters, and fell from the ceiling.

"Dustfinger!" Ann pushed away from Capricorn and ran to where Dustfinger was falling, which happened to be right where the men had set up the small bonfire.

Capricorn laughed as his hands turned dark, and Dustfinger slammed into the ground besides the fire, his body consumed with the blackness from Capricorns hands. Ann too was covered in the dark as Capricorn slowly walked up to the girl and the struggling fire-eater.

"Hello Dustfinger."

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Capricorn always has to have the last word lol, but now things are all starting to come together and Capricorn may be gettting what he's wanted all along!

R&R and I'll try and update as soon as I can. Thanks so much to all you reviewers and those silent readers!


	12. Chapter 12

AN: sorry it took so long for me to update everyone. I kinda zoned out and kept trying to figure out a way to write this chapter, till it came to me in class while I wasn't paying attention (lol see, you can get ideas without the help of stupid teachers!). Anyway, I know that the Capricorn in the Movie Inkheart that's coming out, isnt exactly what everyone imagined. He was definatly not what I imagined shiver nor did he have a fetish for Ducktape. But, yay! Ann and Dustfinger are finally reunited! Enjoy!

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Dustfinger couldn't remember the last time he felt as much pain as he did at that moment. It felt like fire and ice were all over him, burning and freezing his body all at once, and when he opened his eyes, he saw black all over his body. He remembered the last time he felt this pain, and it came from the very same person. As Dustfinger looked around, he saw Ann. She had tears in her eyes and she was screaming for all she was worth as Flatnose and another black jacket he couldn't remember, holding her back. She was clawing at them, kicking, anything she could think of. And it made his heart hurt to see her cry over him.

He reached his hand towards her and was about to tell her not to cry, when a foot suddenly came crashing on his lungs, whisking the air right out of his mouth. Capricorn, lifting his foot, let in come crashing down on the poor fire-eater over and over again until Dustfinger thought that he was going to pass out from all the pain. But that didn't stop Capricorn.

"So nice of you to drop by Dustfinger." Capricorn said, kicking Dustfinger in his ribs. The fire-eater swore he heard cracks come from his body. Blood was coming from his mouth, Dustfinger found out, as soon as he tasted the salty metallic taste in his mouth after having his lungs kicked at as well as his ribs.

"I mean, Ann was getting awfully tired of waiting for you to come to her aid, but I'm afraid she is no longer yours to take back." The man was now having malice starting to lace his words, as if the very thought of such a man taking what belonged to him repulsed him.

"Capricorn stop please, your hurting him!" Ann yelled, her voice racking with sobs. "Please, he doesn't deserve this. You're going to kill him!"

The pale man chuckled at the thought of the man below him dying by his own hands. "Trust me my dear, which such a thought would be most pleasing in my mind, and if he were not so important to my plans, he would be suffering much more than this at this moment." To make his point clear, Capricorn brought his foot on Dustfingers head, and slowly pushed his foot down on the poor mans head. "To see such a man who you claimed had more courage than this Ann, to see acting like this, makes me think that your judgment on courage, a bit poor." Just a bit more pressure on Dustfingers head, and the man thought that his head would be crushed, but suddenly the mans foot was off of Dustfingers head.

Dustfinger sat up slowly, as the blood was able to spread throughout his body once more, and saw that Ann had suddenly burst from the men holding her, and rushed at Capricorn, knocking into him, and making his torture on Dustfinger release. He also noticed that the black that covered him, was also gone.

As he stood up suddenly Dustfinger saw Capricorn holding Ann in a death grip, tightening his arms around her making her squirm in pain.

"R-run Dustfinger! Get out of here; if Capricorn keeps you here with me, then all your going to be doing is helping his plans! You can't let that ha--." Ann was cut off as Capricorn squeezed her tighter, cutting off her sentence. The other black jackets had formed a circle around the three of them, all staring at their leader waiting for orders to be issued from him. Capricorn, seeming to notice the sudden silence in the church, besides the gasping coming from Ann in his arms, Capricorn suddenly shouted at the men.

"Go out, all of you! Got back to any abandoned homes in the village and wait until I call for you all again, now leave us!"

The men all left their leader as well as the two fire-eaters inside the red church, and hurried to the little homes on the outskirts of the village, wishing to be as far from their leader as possible.

"Have a seat Dustfinger." Capricorn said, walking back to his 'throne' at the head of the church, Ann still in his grasp. The whole time that Dustfinger had been in the church, he hadn't said one word to Ann. It wasn't that he didn't want to; it was that he didn't know what to do or to say to her after leaving her alone for so long. He didn't know whether or not to apologize to her for leaving her, or run up to her and swing her in his arms like he once did when she was younger (of course he would have to get her away from Capricorn to do that.) But all he wanted to do the most was take her in his arms and never let her go as long as he lived. But first, he was going to kill the blonde man and all of his men. Never before had Dustfinger ever wanted to kill anyone more that Capricorn and his men, but seeing the colorless man holding the one person he most cared about, it brought a new feeling inside of him.

"Dustfinger I told you to have a seat, or have you forgot what a seat was after going back to that Inkworld? Surely the vagabonds that you lived with had things for you to rest on didn't they?"

The fire-eater could only ignore the comment, and take a seat in front of Capricorn on one of the small bench seats. Then a silence drifted around the church besides the occasional crackle from the small bonfire.

"C…Capricorn. Please, let me see Ann." Dustfinger said softly, so soft that the man almost didn't believe that they came out of his mouth after all the anger he was feeling. Never before had he ever thought that he would resort to begging to such a man before him, but he was desperate.

"Hmmmm…What do you think Ann? Does he deserve to have you in his arms once more after what he has done? I know that you don't like me Ann, and neither does he. So why leave the one person that he supposedly cares about, in the hands of myself?" Capricorn asked, amused at the thought of the fire-eater almost begging for him to hold the girl once more. He looked down at the small teenage girl in his arms, and saw that she had only eyes for Dustfinger. No longer was the sadness that she had in her eyes after several weeks in her green eyes. And it made Capricorn furious, but a small part of him wanted to let the girl have at least one moment of happiness before he took her away from her matchstick eater once more. But not before he softly pressed his face into her hair, and wishing that she would one day look at him the very same way. But a small part of him knew that she would never do so willingly. Then, Capricorn released his arms around the girl.

Dustfinger almost couldn't believe that Ann was in his arms once more, hugging him tightly and sobbing into his jacket. He held onto her so tight that he was afraid that he wasn't allowing her to breathe, but at the sounds of her crying, he knew that she could breathe just fine. He was also afraid that as soon as he released the girl, that she would be ripped from his arms, and he would never see her again. Instead, he would be put back in the crypt just like a year ago when he was last read out of 'Inkheart'.

"Ssshhhhh", Dustfinger said, his face pressed into the girl's hair. He smiled to himself. She still smelled just like any other of the Motley Folk, except Ann always had a smell of roses in her hair, and he never understood how she could smell so much like the flower.

"Ann please don't cry. I'm here, right here." Dustfinger said, trying to calm the teen down. Ann could only shake her head and continue to cry into the fire-eaters arms until her tears dried up and she continued to cling to him like a life support. Knowing that someone else was able to witness how close the two were, Dustfinger looked up at Capricorn only to see the man looking away at the two, a look of hatred crossing his sight. The fire-eater knew that Capricorn hated him because of the way Ann cared about him more than the leader of the crows, but yet he was willing to take someone by force to just to have that person near them.

"I mifffd woo soo muff." Ann mumbled inside of Dustfinger's jacket. It took everything Dustfinger had not to laugh at the girl, and under the circumstances, he was able to hold off the laughter.

"I'm sorry Ann, I don't speak little girl mumbles." He joked. He relaxed his hold on the girl, and sat down facing away from the glare of Capricorn, and held Ann in his lap with her face still pressed to his chest. It reminded him of the times when Ann was younger and would come to him if she had nightmares or missed her father while he was away at a performance. The memories only made this time together more valued.

But she pulled away after she heard his comment. When she looked up at him, her eyes were still watery, but she laughed. "I said I missed you so much."

Ann didn't look away after her eyes met Dustfinger's, but they held confusion and joy as well as sadness all inside of them.

"What's wrong Ann?" Dustfinger asked.

"Why did you come?" Ann said, surprising Dustfinger.

"I came to get you back. Leaving you here was the stupidest idea I ever came up with and never again will this ever happen to you."

But Ann shook her head, "No, you were right about staying together making it easier for him. I just…you coming here and bringing that friend of yours…its only going to make things easier for him. You didn't want that."

Dustfinger knew that she would say something like this, and he wanted to tell her what him and Silvertounge's plan was, but not in the hearing distance of Capricorn.

"Ann, I promise I will tell you everything. But—"

"I don't care about you getting me out of here!" Ann suddenly shouted. She rose to her feet from Dustfingers hold. "By coming here Dustfinger you almost got yourself killed! Do you think I enjoy seeing you harmed every time that you are in this church?! The first time we came here, after they took us, they almost cut you to death Dustfinger, and I had to stand there and watch you suffer while you were bleeding. By coming here, its like your trying to get yourself killed. And I don't want to see you get hurt anymore."

The man was surprised. He came here to get Ann and escape with her, and yet she didn't fear at all for herself the entire time. She was only worried about Dustfinger, about his health and his life.

"That's not how its going to happen this time Ann. I have friends with me and their going to help—

"Oh, Dustfinger." Capricorn stood up all of a sudden, with a smug grin on his face. Ann and Dustfinger both turned to face the tall man before them, both with fear in their eyes. "That reminds me. I understand that you brought Silvertounge and our old acquaintances from a year ago when you all 'killed' me. Silvertounge, the girl, and the fat woman, am I correct? Well, you should know better than to have left them on a hill not quiet so far away from the village.

I knew that you would try and come here alone. After all, having to worry about others can be so bothersome. So, I took the liberty of having some of my men have small hideouts in the hills."

Shock overcame Dustfinger's expression as the words sunk in and he realized what Capricorn was saying.

"NO!" The fire-eater jumped up, "What did you do to Silvertounge and the others?!" Ann, after jumping off of Dustfinger, was looking around in confusion.

"What's he talking about Dustfinger? Does he mean the people you brought with you? What—."

"That's exactly what he mean's Ann. It means that I've just sealed our fate. And I failed Silvertounge once again." Dustfinger said, with sorrow and guilt in every word.

Now, they were all stuck in the crows nest.

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**Sigh and we all thought that the two could finally be together in peace, but of course Capricorn has to ruin the whole sorta fluff moment between Dusty and Ann. Well, I could just have Dusty use fire and turn Capricorn into a well done peice of meat, but I dont think thats where you guys want the story to go lol. Next chapter, we see what happens between the two, as well as what Capricorn is planning for the whole lot of them, but we all know its not going to be something that their going to like.**

**Alright people R&R! You know what to do!**


	13. Chapter 13

I am **sosososososososososo** sorry that it has taken so long to update. I've been having major writers block and it took me a while to decide what to write in this particular chapter. But I'm having a dilemma with the coupling right now. At first I wanted a DustfingerXAnn couple, but now after this chapter I sorta made a bit o' fluff between CapricornXAnn. Both men are still going to fight for her anyhow, but who will she end up with is the true question! Anywho, please enjoy this chapter and dont forget to review. When you review though, I would like to know who you guys want Ann to end up with.

I accept flames, as well as constructive critisim, and any thoughts on what you reviewers would like in the story is greatly appreciated!

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That night the black jackets threw Dustfinger back into the very same room where he had once rescued Silvertounge, Meggie, and the fat woman. He found it quiet ironic but the humor in his mood was long gone after Cockerell and Flatnose had tossed him in, taking his matches as well as his backpack that he had with him. So he sat in the small space and silently thought to himself as to how he was going to get himself out of the predicament.

"What I want to know most of all is how in the hell Silvertounge managed to get himself captured in the first place. I was the one who left them so how did Capricorn find them?" Dustfinger rubbed the stubble on his face in puzzlement.

_Damn it. This is just making things worse than they already are. Of course it could be a lie and Capricorn may not even have Silvertounge in his grasp. He might have said it in front of me while Ann was around just to lower her hopes as well as mine for getting out of this place._

Dustfingers hope was waning the more he thought of all the possibilities that something would go wrong with anymore plans, as well as what had maybe already happened.

"What am I going to do?" He said to the ceiling. "We just want to go home and live peaceful lives."

With that said Dustfinger settled himself on the floor and proceeded as to making himself comfortable on the moldy straw, trying to get some rest before the next day.

When Ann had heard that Dustfinger was taken somewhere, she immediately had her sights set on finding where they had put her friend. But it seemed that Capricorn had anticipated this, and had set guards all over the area as to keep an eye on the young fire-eater. While this frustrated Ann to no end, she already knew that now that Dustfinger was in Capricorns grasp, he was going to do whatever it took to keep him there.

"Ann, come with me for a moment." Capricorn spoke up. They had sat in the church for what seemed like hours after Dustfinger was taken away, and his voice sounded surprisingly soft for someone who found joy in killing.

"Why, so you can brag about how you finally have everything you wanted. Dustfinger, his friends, and me, all in your grasp to do as you please? I think not." Ann glared daggers at the man before her, but as she continued to look at him, she saw none of the gloating boastfulness that he often had around his subordinates. Instead, his eyes were soft and looked at her with mixed emotions.

"No, you misunderstand Ann. I do not wish to gloat in front of you, nor will I. All I want is for you to walk with me somewhere. Is that so hard to ask? No one else will be escorting us. But if you do not wish to go, I will not force you."

Ann was shocked. Never before had she ever heard Capricorn tell her that she 'must' do this or she 'must' do that. No, he was giving her a choice, and he said that no one else was going along…

"Alright." Ann said softly looking at Capricorn no longer with a glare, but with a small smile. A smile that had never before been showed to him ever since he had brought her to the village.

Capricorn stood from his throne and proceeded to walk towards the girl with a slight quickness in his step.

As soon as he reached her, he offered his arm like a true gentleman and she took it with a tiny bit of hesitation.

"Capricorn…" Ann asked softly. He looked at her, afraid that she had suddenly decided against his request. "There's no tricks right? Nothing is going to happen. No ones going to get hurt?"

"No, I promise. I have done enough to you that has caused you pain, and it somewhat hurts me that you think that all I would ever do to you is cause you pain." They walked outside in the chilly autumn weather, with the moon shining brightly on them, lighting up there pathway.

"Well can you blame me? Honestly, ever since you found me, all I've gotten is threats, slaps in the face, my hair pulled. All because of what? Because you saw me when I was younger and decided that I was going to belong to you. I have done nothing to you to deserve getting kidnapped. And there are times Capricorn when I know that I make you angry, but have you ever thought about why!?"

They stopped in their tracks to face each other, standing quite a distance away from the village. Only the farthest houses of the area stood rotting beside them.

"I do understand Ann. And I know my actions are unjustified."

"Then why?"

"Because I wish for you to be mine." Capricorn said with a soft sterness in his voice.

"Ever since the day I saw you when you were younger I wished for you to belong to me and not the dirty fire-eater that you care about so much. You, who fought for those you care about as well as things you believed in. You have a fire in your eyes that has no comparison to the fire you toy with."

Ann was surprised to say the least. She never knew that Capricorn thought of her other than something to use as leverage against Dustfinger. She almost thought him to be lying until she looked up at his colorless eyes. He hadn't looked away from her the entire time he spoke to her, and for some reason it didn't unnerve her.

"Your telling the truth aren't you? But why me? In the Inkworld there are hundreds of rich woman who would do anything to be with a man who was friends with the Adderhead. Instead you choose a poor Molty Folk girl who plays with fire for a living."

Capricorn chuckled. It wasn't he evil one she was used to hearing when he laughed around the other black jackets.

"Like I said Ann," he grasped her chin, making her look at him straight in the eyes. "You fight back, you don't just submit like other woman would do. You are strong willing and don't back down Ann. It's almost impossible to break you down. In fact, I think you've actually made my most cruel men regret meeting you."

Even after all Capricorn had done to her, Ann found it somewhat amusing that he was trying to joke with her. She even managed to laugh.

"Why can't you be more like this? Why couldn't you have this attitude around me when we first met? I may have not hated you at all." Ann almost felt like she wanted to beg. This Capricorn was so much more bearable than the cruel heartless man that she had been stuck with for almost a month.

"Try to imagine a soft hearted man ordering a bunch of ruthless murdering men. I am not soft, as you have seen before, but if they saw how I would truly wish to act around you, I might as well shoot myself or all the men I have with me.

"Besides my dear, do you think that I'm an idiot? Honestly, if I would be a soft gullible fool like your fire-eater, I know that I would still be nowhere nearer in your heart."

"How do you know? No one knows my heart but me." Ann asked, now realizing the close proximity that her and the black jacket leader had gained while talking. The realization cause a small blush to appear on her face.

_How can I be blushing at a man who has tried to kill Dustfinger countless times and has made me miserable over the weeks!? But, this side is new, almost like he truly cares…_

"How do I know?" Capricorn asked, with mock shock on his face, causing Ann to once again release a small laugh. The man laughed as well, his breath brushing Ann's face. The young girl instantly thought of cinnamon when his breath hit her face, she almost was expecting the peppermint smell of Basta's disgusting air. She turned her face away, looking out at the woods surrounding them that almost seemed to glow because of the full moon above them. The houses even stood out more, making their rotten detail stick out. The cracks in the walls, the collapsing roofs, even the dead plants that sat where once flourishing gardens grew. Ann was trying hard to get the flush off of her face that Capricorn had caused. But when he grabbed her face softly for her attention once more, she could not look away.

"Because my dear," He said, leaning in closer, "that is the way life works." Then Capricorns lips suddenly pressed up against her own softly. Ann way beyond shocked. She didn't know what to feel. Hatred, confusion, sadness, fear. All these emotions rushing through her head while Capricorn continued to press his mouth on hers, moving his lips slowly against hers but Ann in her shocked condition could do nothing but let him do as he wished.

Then, as he grasped her arm, she felt a large shock erupt in her body. Capricorn having slowly pulled away from her, looked at her with pity as blackness was starting to cloud her vision.

"Y-you said no tricks." Ann mumbled as she started to feel her body collapsing.

"I know my dear, and I'm sorry." Capricorn said, for once actually looking sorry. Then everything went black as Capricorn picked up the girl and walked back to the church, where he ordered his men to not feed Dustfinger, and to make his time a living hell while he stayed in cell.

The old Capricorn was back.

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Thank you for reading, now please please please review!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Sorry everyone that it took so long for me to write this chapter. I'm kinda one of those writers where it takes a while to think of a good plot just for this one chapter, and if I start writing and it already looks like shit, I have to replan the whole damn thing. Sorry if this chapter sucks. I had to bring Basta back (yay for those who like, cursing for those who dont) and make him fit back into the story again. This chapter is gonna seem a little odd, but it kinda seemed natural that the first person he sees when he comes back, is the person the reason for making him suffer. Anyway, did a lot of writing and rewriting but I hope this chapter turned out right. If it didnt, I'm sorry and you can leave your comments at the review (if you do review that is)

Thanks to all of you reviews who enjoy my story and critique my work. I love hearing thoughts about how you like the story or how I could make it better. Flamers, havent really had any yet, but if you do flame go ahead cause I really dont care.

Enjoy!

Thunder boomed over the mountains the next night. The lightning flashed across the Italian outskirts of the Village while the black jackets all hustled around the church and its surrounding houses. A lone figure though, walked slowly, limping with hands bound and a gag in his mouth. He inwardly laughed at how the idiot Silvertounge had gotten himself captured when the awoke two days ago, only to find Dirtyfingers missing from their party. The fat woman and the girl immediately started calling his name while Silvertounge decided to go and search for him, leaving the tied up Basta sitting in the shade of a dying olive tree. Minutes after their 'search' Basta heard noises coming from the left side of his tree, and then the shouts of Silvertounge and the fat woman rang in his ears. His fellow black jackets, while scouting the area, had found where they were hiding, and were taking them to Capricorn as a gift of good fortune. The only problem was that they didn't see Basta tied and gagged, desperately trying to get their attention on the fact that he was there as well. But neither Silvertounge nor the girl spoke up as to point out that a friend of theirs (not that Basta had any friends, only comrades) was sitting not five feet away from him.

So, Basta was left alone, with his fear on the oncoming night that bad luck would befall him, even if he was wearing his lucky pendant around his neck.

Luckily though, Basta was somehow able to find a small sharp rock and cut himself loose before the day became noon, when the snakes woke from their slumber.

"When I get my hands on that man I am going to slit his throat and watch as his blood slowly seeps out of his throat, then I'll get that smartass girl of his and kill her while he is still dying. What a way to go! Dying and watching your family dying at the same time. It's so beautiful." Basta thought such malicious things the entire time that he was trying to get back to the village. Thoughts of how he was going to kill Silvertounge, Meggie, the fat woman, and most of all Dustfinger.

"Now his death is going to be a death to remember! How bout a bonfire? Or tying him above a fire and then slowly lowering him onto the flames! Oh there are so many ways I'm going to torture him."

If Mo and the others thought that Basta was bad the first time, then they were in for serious trouble when they saw how much venom the man had gained.

Twice they had caused trouble for the black jackets, twice had Basta been brutally punished by Capricorn for their antics, and twice did he have to suffer Dustfinger and his tricks.

"Hey, is that Basta?"

A voice yelled out while the dark knifeman was muddled over his thoughts.

"Yea it is! Hey where ya been?"

Finally Basta realized that he was being talked to, and he looked up into the faces of Flatnose and Cockerell, who were standing guard outside the village hilltops.

"Yea it's fucking Basta! You dumb bastards left me outside of the village in the hills with the damn snakes, underneath a fucking TREE!" Basta's face resembled the brightest beetroot.

"The hell you going on about? We didn't know you were there! Ya should have made some noise or something."

"How in the hell am I supposed to—

Ann came from inside of the church walking with one of the other black jackets. The girl looked up from the shouting and saw Basta along with Flatnose and Cockerell.

"Oh hell no!" Ann shouted and immediately.

Basta, feeling angry as it were, shouted and ran after the girl that he blamed for his misery as well as his misfortune.

"Get back here you damn wretch!"

Ann turned her head while running and shouted over her shoulder with venom. "Why? So you can throw another knife at me? Or jump on me and knock me down again? Just being around you I somehow manage to get hurt you dumbass black jacket!" Both of them headed straight for the nearest car, and Ann, getting on one side of the car, turned and faced Basta.

Basta saw that the girl stopped on the other side of the vehicle, leaving him on the other side facing her while breathing harshly from the running.

"How in the hell did you get back? Dustfinger told me that they tied you up?" Ann questioned. It was true that before the other black jackets locked the fire eater in his 'cell' that he told her how Silvertounge and him got Basta tied up and had him call Capricorn. And that they left him elsewhere after he left the car and the others.

"Oh, you mean how did I get away from that fucking tree all tied up? I'm not gonna tell you sweetheart. Because I already know that that damned Silvertounge already had his satisfaction of getting me tied up, but telling you how much I suffered around that tree is something you wont have the satisfaction of hearing."

Ann could see the bent up rage and hatred in Basta's eyes just from the other side of the car. Knowing now that Basta was the last person she needed to be around right now, Ann carefully was devising a way of getting away from the knifeman.

The once distant thundering of the storm over the mountains was no longer so distant, but instead right over the village. The black menacing clouds threatened lightning and a heavy storm.

"Basta," Ann said cautiously "I know your really mad right now, but yelling at me and chasing me isn't going to get you anywhere now is it."

The black jacket just started at her intently.

"And plus, Capricorn needs me in one piece, so you already know that you cant use your pretty sharp knife on me."

This time, Basta smirked. And that smirked scared Ann a lot more than a whole bunch of black jackets surrounding her.

"No princess, just because he wants you in once piece doesn't mean I don't get to use my hands on you. Just not my knife."

The several black jackets that Basta was talking to when he came into the village, came up behind Basta, as if already understanding what he was about to do. They semi circled him and started at the girl as well as the man before them.

"Basta, sorry to say but ya can't really hurt Ann. Capricorn has a fucking death wish on anyone who does. Just ask Cockerell or Flatnose. They'll tell how much trouble this vixen has gotten them into.

"Can ya blame me?" Ann mumbled to herself.

A heavy rain suddenly overcame the village. Its drops almost looked as black as the clouds they fell from. Said clouds, suddenly became darker and a wind picked up as if someone turned on a giant fan just over the mountains. The trees, leaves, and even some old weary tiles were blowing harshly over the dirt ground and parking lot.

"Hey guys, how about we all just head in and forget—

"Shut the hell up." Basta whipped around to face the man speaking of forgetting everything. "This girl had made me go through more shit than anyone else around here and I plan on getting her back. And if any of you so much as think of getting in my way well," Basta chuckled "Just because I cant use my knife on her doesn't mean I cant use it on all of you." Basta slowly pulled out his knife that had struck Ann when Capricorn caught her. Ann even flinched and slowly and unknowingly rubbed the spot on her head where she could remember the knife hitting her after it cut through its thick leather holder.

"Now all of you get the hell out of here while me and miss fire eater get reunited. After all its been so long since I last saw her."

The black jackets, needing no other warning, headed off dead sprint towards the church where it was warm and dry, as well as far away from the madman with a knife.

"Just you and me now Ann." Basta said dryly as he slowly slunk towards her. Ann, already knowing what was going to happen, heading in the opposite direction around the car, away from Basta. "Come here Ann, I aint gonna hurt ya." He cooed cruelfully.

Ann knew that this game would go one forever until one of them made the wrong move, and she was determined not to be the one. So she carefully angled herself so that she was in closer to the church with it behind her and knew that if she had started to run, she would have the better advantage of making it before Basta even reached her. If he did though…the thought made her gulp.

_5._

Ann readied herself.

_4._

Basta chuckled and started to slowly make his way towards her.

_3._

Ann shifted her self slightly away.

_2._

Basta was getting closer now.

_1._

Ann turned and sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her towards her (never thought she would call it this) sanctuary. She knew that once she made it, and reached Capricorn, that Basta wouldn't be able to get his hands on her and choke her to death.

But, it seemed that someone somewhere didn't want her to ever get away from something she desperately wasn't looking forward to.

Just her luck, Ann slipped on the now muddy ground and slid about 2 feet before she stopped and was looking up at the sky, with rain drops _pitter pattering_ on her head. Soon, the footsteps of Basta were heard as well as his heavy breathing.

"Looks like Lady Luck is on my side this time girly. Which means," Basta grabbed Ann by her shoulders and promptly dragged her to another car in the lot. "Let's see how you like being tied up now shall we?" Shoving Ann up against the rope, the man pulled out a short piece, of what looked like plastic rope, and tied her feet as well as her hands, leaving her struggling viciously to get out of the hold of the rope.

Then the air suddenly left Ann's lungs, leaving her winded and gasping for breath. Basta had punched Ann in her stomach while she struggled and didn't notice him pull back his arm and let loose a powerful uppercut.

"W-wha?" Ann gasped. She would've clutched her stomach if she didn't have to worry about the sudden pain in her head at that moment. Basta wasted no time in punching every single part of her exposed body, leaving a trail of bruises and some bloody cuts. Her lip had become busted, her right eye was beginning to swell, and her ribs and every part of her body was beginning to become attentive to pain.

"P-please stop B-Basta. No more!" Ann had curled into a fetal position and tried to cover up her vitals spots, leaving legs and back as well as her arms open for torment.

"How does it feel princess? How does it feel to finally feel pain that you thought was nothing huh? I hope your feeling a lot of pain darling because if you aren't yet, your about too." Saying such, a kick to the back was leaving Ann screaming in pain, her consciousness was starting to fade as the pain continued.

Then suddenly, the pain ceased and Basta was tackled by what looked like a red and black figure, a figure she recognized.

_Dustfinger…_

Dustfinger had picked his way out of his cell and was searching the grounds for guards when he heard a scream echo across the village. He instantly knew who the screamed belonged to, seeing as it wasn't the first time he ever heard her scream. But this scream was chilling, full of pain. And soon Dustfinger was in full sprint to the voice. Coming across the lot, he suddenly saw a tied up Ann and a ferocious looking Basta, kicking her in her back over and over until it looked like Ann had passed out from her torture.

_Where in the hell are the guards that were posted out here days ago? Surely rain didn't make them leave. Basta must have threatened them with his knife. _

Dustfinger knew that Capricorn was in the church at that moment, seeing as every black jacket he saw around a corner was talking about a meeting being held about a new job of some sort. That explained why no one was outside and seeing what was happening to Ann.

_But soon Capricorn is going to notice her absence and then who knows what's going to happen._

Knowing that Ann wasn't going to last much longer, Dustfinger didn't even think what he was doing before he somehow was tackling Basta and lying in the mud with a snarling knifeman trying to get his blade on his throat.

Looking around, quickly as he could while watching out for Basta's blade, Dustfinger noticed a rock lying next to them about the size of a tennis ball. Grabbing it, he slammed the rock over Basta's head, knocking the man out cold.

Standing up off of the unconscious man, Dustfinger strode quickly to the shivering and barely awake Ann. What he saw shocked him and nearly brought him to his knees.

Bruises covered every part of Ann. As well as a busted lip, a closed swollen purple eye, her wrists were rubbed raw from her trying to get out of her bonds, and her back and front were showing signs of small bleeding underneath her clothes.

"Ann, Ann wake up. Come on, please stay awake for me okay?" Dustfinger pleaded, gently picking her up, trying not to cause her anymore pain that what she already endured.

"You…you got out. How did you—

"Do ya really have to ask? I picked the lock of course." A quite laugh was heard from Ann, then coughing.

"I'm glad to see your okay Dustfinger. I thought…I thought that they were hurting you." Ann looked up at him with her one good eye. He didn't know if it was the rain, but it looked like Ann was crying. He knew that in her condition he couldn't take her anywhere. And that she needed to get somewhere dry and warm quick before she got a cold or worse. And the only place with a doctor like person…was in the village.

"Ann listen to me. You know that we both want out of here. And I know that your probably gonna hate me later, but the village is the only place that you can get better at and taken care of right now. We have to stay."

"No, I have to stay. You get out of here Dustfinger!" Ann cried out.

Dustfinger shook his head. "I already told you I'm never leaving you again.

"But you'll get locked up again!"

"Its something I'm just going to have to risk."

With that, Dustfinger set off quickly to the church, leaving Basta to lie in the mud and rain.

* * *

What will happen to Dustfinger?! What will happen to Basta?! Will Ann get better?! Will Flatnose ever get a normal face?! Who knows, but if you review, you might find the answers in the next chapter! XD R&R pleaz


	15. Chapter 15

Hey you people and reviewers! Got my next chapter up, and I am almost finished with the next one. I'm so happy that I finally at least get to work on my story. Ever since school started, I had this notebook and just started writing down what I had planned for the next two chapters! And lo and behold it didnt take me as long as it usually does to update. I apologize for making you guys wait anyhow. But besides that, I really appreciate all you reviewers. Your the ones who make me wanna keep trying to update as soon as I can.

Anywho, Capricorn may or may not be a little OOC (but who knows, his attitude was never really that clear in Inkheart. My opinion anyways.)

Enjoy!

The door to the church opened with a load 'BANG' while a dark silhouette figure came rushing through the doors, leaving the pattering rain outside and its cold wet feeling. The group of black jackets that had been eating a feast in congrats for another job completed from Capricorns orders, looked towards the figure. The men instantly recognized the scarred face as Dustfinger, but they couldn't see who the shivering bloody and muddy person in his arms was. The mysterious person also wouldn't show their face, keeping it close to the fire eater's body. The shivering person was clutching onto Dustfinger as if letting go would be the end of them.

Capricorn, recovering from the shock of seeing his hostage out and about, immediately told his men to grab onto the man.

"What is the meaning of this? How are you out, and who is that in your arms? They look as if you found them in a pit."

The black jackets tried to seize hold of Dustfinger, but the man struggled, keeping the figure in his arms away from the men.

"Wait! Capricorn, I need a doctor or someone who knows how to bandage cuts."

Capricorn laughed. "I can see that Dustfinger, but what makes you think that I would waste my bandages for some shivering pathetic outsider? This is not a charity, nor is it a place for someone like them to be in. After all, my men probably did that to that person for trespassing."

This comment made some of the men chuckle. It was no secret that the black jackets would take wanderers and sometimes pass the time away by kicking or hitting the poor soul.

"Please, she's hurt and has lost a lot of blood. I don't care what you do to me, but she needs help. I don't care what you do to me. After you take her, you can throw me back in the damn room for all I care." Dustfinger pleaded, trying not to burst in anger at Capricorns obliviousness that the person in his arms was someone that he knew Capricorn had a soft spot for.

"Oh be rest assured that you will return to your holding place until I decide a fitting punishment for escaping. But, perhaps I can take the girl. After all, she does remind me quiet a bit of Ann. Speaking of which," Capricorns colorless eyes scouted the area for the girl. "Where is Ann? She left here a bit before you showed up with that filthy—

Capricorns breath caught in his throat as he looked closer at the shivering person in Dustfingers arms, past the mud, wet matted hair, and bloody clothes.

The reason he didn't recognize the person in Dustfingers arms was because of the state they were in. Now he realized just who Dustfinger was holding.

Ignoring his men's stares, Capricorn quickly moved his way down the isles towards Dustfinger. His eyes were impassive, but some thought they saw a flicker of concern flash across his gaze. Dustfinger saw the quick emotion flicker upon Capricorns gaze on Ann and was slowly regretting brining Ann to him. If Capricorn actually cared about _his_ Ann, then taking her away from the place was going to be harder than before. He first thought that Capricorn only cared about the girl's powers, but as the years passed in the Inkworld, and rumors about how the black jacket leader was obsessed about a fire eater girl, he was starting to realize that the man may want her more than for just her powers. Now, seeing the concern on his face, a face that was cold and uncaring while telling his men to go out and murder, confirmed his suspicions.

Once Capricorn reached Dustfinger and his men, he signaled the two to back off, then went to reach and take Ann from Dustfinger's arms. One of the men had fetched a blanket from the maids so that Capricorn would not dirty his clean ebony suit. Not that that was on their leaders mind at that moment.

When Capricorn reached to take Ann, the fire eater instinctively shifted away from the mans pale long hands and fingers.

"Give her to me Dustfinger." Capricorn ordered.

"What are you going to do with her?"

"I'm and handing her to one of the maids, she will have her wounds cleaned up."

"How do I know that you aren't just going to lay her somewhere and leave her to tend for herself?"

The man growled in frustration. "Honestly if I had ever wanted Ann to suffer, it would've already been done by now. Also, I swear to you that she will be taken care of." With that Capricorn gently, much to the fire eater's surprise, eased the girl from Dustfingers arms, and into his. But even if he was gentle, brushing up against a broken rib did little to ease Ann's pain. Though it was an accident.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ann's eyes shot open, red from crying earlier, and screamed a agonizing howl and she tried to be free from the arms holding her. She didn't think about the pain that would've occurred had Capricorn set her down. All she could think about was the knife stabbing feeling in her side.

All the black jackets slowly shifted away from the screaming girl (many losing their appetites and leaving) giving their leader room as he tried unsuccessfully to calm the girl in his arms to keep her from further harming herself.

Dustfinger, after hearing Ann's cries, made a reach for her, but one of the men near him elbowed in his stomach, leaving him kneeling on the ground gasping for the loss of air.

"Who did this to her?" Capricorns voice was laced with Anger, while trying once more to hold Ann without brushing against her side.

"B-Basta. He came back from where Silvertounge left him. I…I found him beating on her after I had gotten out of the small room. I don't know how long he had been doing it, but all I could hear were her cries. He apparently was taking his rage out on her for what had been done to him."

"And how exactly did you manage to escape your hold?"

The question hung in the air and Dustfinger knew that their was no point in lying at that point in time. So he shrugged.

"I had a piece of metal in my pocket that I kept for lock picking purposes."

The men that had Dustfingers affects knew that they were going to be beaten for the mistake.

"How did you get Basta away from her? I know that he had a knife on him and I am surprised that he didn't add new scars to your previous collection and he is not one to be beaten so easily in a fist fight." Capricorns tone this time was a little softer than the previous but still held the anger from before.

"When I found him I ran at him not even thinking about what I was doing and just tackled him to make him stop. He did, of course, have his knife and even tried to cut my throat. So I grabbed the nearest thing next to me, a rock, and slammed it across his head." It seemed like a lousy attempt to save Ann in Dustfingers opinion, but he acted so hastily that he didn't care what happened as long as Ann was safe.

"What** did **Silvertounge do to Basta to have him act like he did?" The question was of mocking this time, as if he already knew that whatever he had done was embarrassing to his most 'loyal' of black jackets."

"I don't know."

_Of course I would like to know where your hiding Silvertounge anyhow. The sooner I find out, the sooner I can take Ann and leave._

Dustfingers thoughts were erupted as soon as he felt the men grab his arms and start to drag him back out into the rain and back into the darkness of his cell.

"Wait! Will I get to see her once she is better?!" Dustfinger shouted, beginning to get angry that he wasn't allowed to see that Ann was safe and healed.

Capricorn stopped and turned to face him. A cruel smirk came across his mouth.

"You may see her when I allow it. But for escaping you may just be held in your cell wondering if she ever did get better."

At the thought of not seeing Ann after this almost made the air to Dustfingers lungs catch, but Capricorn continued.

"But," he stated, "for saving her you may be allowed to see her for a few moments. Only a few moments."

Capricorn looked down at the girl in his arms and unlike himself, brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Then he looked at his men.

"Take him back to his cell and then go out and find your comrade. If he is up and walking tie him up and take him to the crypt. If he is still face down in the mud, drag him down there."

With that Capricorn took his leave, girl in his arms, and headed away into the back room of the church by the spare rooms.

Dustfinger, as he was dragged out, thought he heard a light voice call out to him softly.

"_Dusty."_

Later that night while Ann lay in a bed, bandaged and unconscious, Capricorn sat in the corner of the room while he waited for the announcement that Basta was awake.

"Broken ribs, fractured wrist and bruises. Many bruises." Capricorn said to himself, staring at the girl in front of him that had brought him many emotions. Even after all of the times that she had declared that she hated him, it never softened his feelings for her. He knew it was unlike him to care about anyone besides himself, but somehow the small fire eater before him had broken that selfishness. Not to the point that he would care about others besides her, just her.

A maid that had told him of Ann's condition came in and started checking over the girl. While she put fresh bandages on her, a great guilt overtook him as he saw a bruise that he knew Basta had not landed on her.

Before Ann had walked out of the church, before Basta attacked her, Capricorn remembered that he had struck Ann on the face before she had left the building. She had been begging for him to allow her to go and see Dustfinger. He became enraged when she had not stopped asking him over and over when finally he decided to shut her up with a slap. The jealousy in his heart was to strong to bear and she took it out on her. He had marred her.

Now, because of his jealousy and Basta's rage, she was the one lying on a bed wrapped up. If he had never struck her, she wouldn't have left the church, and Basta would've never found her and beaten her.

Capricorn was still mulling over his thoughts when he realized that because of this ordeal Ann would become much closer to Dustfinger than ever before due to him saving her, and father from his grasp. It was killing him.

"Speaking of killing."

Capricorn stood from his chair and quietly left Ann to her rest while he went to find his 'loyal' black jacket and see him whether or not he was awake.

Down in the crypts Basta sat on the ground rather than the stone coffin where the souls of the dead ones slept.

Basta clutched his rabbits foot, his new cross, and his other talismans that he acquired, and waited for his fate.

Then, light suddenly drowned out part of the darkness as three figures descended the stairs and over to where Basta sat and stared. Two stayed put at the doorway while th third walked up to the cell.

"Get Up." A stern cold voice said. Of course Basta knew who's voice it belonged to. The man had been a father figure to him all of his life. Even after Capricorn had left him in a cage when Silvertounge's daughter brought the shadow to the Village to cast his, Resa's and the fat woman's fate. Basta forgave his master and willingly served him once more.

It looks like he was back where he started.

"Nice to see you again Basta." His voice seemed to scare the knifeman more than any other ghost down in the crypt.

"How was your trip?"

"S-sir, Silvertounge and the others, when the found me, they tied me up at some old rotten cottage up in the mountains my lord! Our men came and retrieved the intruders, but left me to suffer the snakes underneath and willow tree!. They forced me to call you, and held a knife to my throat. There was nothing I could do!" Basta could no longer come up with a excuses or think of anything else to say.

"I don't care what happened to you Basta." Capricorn said. "Your brought Silvertounge here, accident or not, and you found Ann. And speaking of our dear Ann—

Capricorn suddenly grabbed Basta by the collar of his shirt and held the man to the musty dampened walls. The leader of the black jackets had nothing but calm rage, even though the man would've killed Basta by now if not for the small restraint he had left.

"What I do care about is the girl lying unconscious on a be with broken ribs, a fractured wrist and bruises the size of your fist all over her body!."

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't see why her condition matters. She's alive and can still summon fire, can she not?

Basta was trying to pry his master's hands what now took hold of his throat.

"Oh, she is alive Basta, but having her in such a condition is allowing her to decide even easier to not comply to our demands. And because of your actions she clings even more so onto Dustfinger. With your rash actions you have jeopardized my plan and have hurt what is MINE!"

Capricorns hands suddenly turned a pitch black

"You know Basta, not many know I have such powers. After I was supposedly killed by the shadow, I was given a gift. A control over darkness. Of course I never told anyone after we returned, but now I intend to take this power to the Inkworld and rule. Fire eaters at my command, burning, scorching, exploding my enemies. No one will be able to stop me!"

Then, Capricorn returned his gaze to the man in his grasp, which was now turning a slight blue.

"Which comes to your punishment Basta. For every bone Ann has broken—

A punch into Basta's stomach resonated sickening cracks to echo off of the crypt walls.

"You shall break two. For every bruise—

A movement of his hands, cuts suddenly appeared all along Bastas body, making the man gasp at the sudden immense amount of pain.

"You shall have a gash. And as for her wrist, well," Capricorn grabbed the smaller mans arm and then snapped it in two with a flick of his hand.

"A broken arm should do, for this moment. Now then, you shall sit down in the crypt for three days and then I may release you. But, enjoy your punishment with the ghosts now Basta."

A deep laugh bounced off the walls as Capricorn and the other two left, along with the light. Leaving Basta with his fear and his pain.

* * *

A bit longer than my usual writing so I hope you guys enjoyed it. Next chapter will be up soon, almost finished with it! But you know the drill! R&R XD


	16. Chapter 16

Hey everyone! Chapter sixteen is finally here. I know I told you guys that it would be up sooner on the Updating but eversince the start of school, essay were poured on us ugh I already had to write two, one on the Holocaust and another on Leonardo Da Vinci. They werent that bad, but all the researching and working-up-to-writing-the-actual-thing took a bit longer. Anywho, this chapter is finally going to be the ending of them being in the Village (yay). But I'm not going to tell you that much casue ya have to read to find out what happens.

Though, all the Basta haters might like me at first, then wanna shoot me. Sorry ; But I'm actually pretty happy with how the chapter turnied out. I have the next few written, but I have to check over them and make sure everything is fitting in with my plot.

Enough of my babbling, enjoy!

* * *

Ann blinked once then twice before she finally realized that she was no longer with Dustfinger, but lying in a bed with little clothes and bandages.

_How did I get here?_

She looked around from the small bed, thinking with some small flicker of hope that her and Dustfinger were out of the Village and someplace comfy and away from the fear and death. But she recognized that she was in one of the many back rooms of the church. She felt somewhat ridiculous for her small hope, but she knew that she would never truly be gone from the place.

"Dustfinger?" Ann yelled out, but instantly regretted it, feeling the sharp pain in her sides, like some one grabbed a knife and plunged it inter her side. Looking down at her sides to see the cause of pain, she saw that her chest and as well as her waist was all wrapped up tightly and her wrist was in a small sling that tied around her neck to keep it in place. The sling didn't bother her much, but the bandages around her chest and waist made her feel as though she was wearing a corset that the woman wore back in her home. She had tried one on after seeing the other woman wear them. She didn't like them one bit.

"Dustfinger, anybody? Helloooooo!" Ann said again, this time a bit softer.

A maid, who looked around the age of a fifty year old came silently shuffling into the room, bustling about Ann.

"Excuse me, miss? Would you mind telling me if you saw a man with scars on his face around here?"

The woman remained silent, but when she looked at Ann, she knew that the woman wasn't permitted to speak to her. And though this confused Ann, she knew that she shouldn't pester the woman to speak. Not wanting her to get into trouble over her questions.

"Oh, ok. I understand."

The woman sent her a grateful look.

With that, Ann tried getting up, but she felt the same stabbing pain in her sides as when she yelled for Dustfinger. It confused her why she was in so much pain, and why her wrist was immobile. Then, flashbacks of when Basta had returned to the Village from his mission came to her. She remembered how his eyes had looked when he saw her, and how his rage was taken upon her. And how much pain had flowed through her till Dustfinger showed up and had told her that he was taking her to the church for help.

"Looks like I got it, I'm so wrapped up I can barely see my skin."

She smiled, but felt that even her face was swollen and beaten. And looking at her arm that wasn't in a sling, she could see dark, large bruises that decorated her skin in a purple color.

"Miss, is there a mirror around? You don't have to answer, just nod yes or no. I need to see what kinda monster I look like right now." Although humor was what she intended, she could tell she sounded fearful of what she may see.

The maid nodded and then scuttled out of the room quickly, then returning with a medium sized mirror.

Once the woman showed Ann's reflection, she felt tears prickling at her eyes. She was hideous! Her face was nothing but a bruise itself, her left cheek looking like the worst side of her face. With cuts and imprints all along her forehead she figured it couldn't get much worse. But her neck, shoulders and arms had hand shape marked bruises, cuts and dirt on them as well.

"If my arms look like this, I don't wanna even see my chest or legs." She mumbled. She wondered what Dustfinger thought she looked like, and the thought of him thinking she looked like a deformed creature made her heart break. She was almost glad that he didn't show up when she called. "He doesn't need to see something ugly like this."

The maid had taken the mirror away (clearly seeing Ann becoming upset) and returned again except this time she held a small basin with water and a cloth. Then, very gently she cleaned Ann's face and arms.

"Why are you doing all of this?"

"Because I told her too."

Capricorn appeared at the doorway, watching Ann and her shocked expression.

"That's enough Mary; I'll take it from here."

He shooed Mary away and took the cloth and starting cleaning where Mary left off. Ann, feeling to close for comfort next to the black jacket leader, slowly tried to ease away from his gentle cleaning, but his cold voice stopped her dead.

"Hold still. You're already hurt enough but I am not past the point of forcing you to be still. Besides I highly doubt you would be able to make it to the door even with four days of rest."

Ann looked at him disbelievingly. Not only from his harsh words, but at the fact that she had slept for four days!

"And why not, do you think, won't I be able to make it to the door? You said so yourself I got rest for f-four days!"

He chuckled, another trait that she never saw that often unless it was evil. Much like his gentle side, which she found out he only really shows around her.

"Because my dear, with several broken ribs, bruises, cuts, and a fractured wrist, I think that you would be in so much pain by getting up, that you will collapse. Only hurting yourself further.

Capricorn accidentally pressed a bit too hard on a bruise, causing Ann to gasp and shift a little.

"W-what happened to Basta?" Ann asked, hoping the knifeman somehow didn't manage to get back up and make a run for it. She also wanted to know if he was somehow let off the hook and wandering around.

"He is being taken care of. Other than that he is none of your concern any longer."

"What about Dustfinger? He was with me when he saved me from Basta. He's not hurt is he?!"

Fear rushed through her at the thought of her friend and family being hurt. Capricorn felt the familiar pang of jealousy shoot through him at the sound of Ann's concerned tone for the fire-eater. He almost struck her like he had done back in the church, but looking at her left cheek (the one he hit) the feeling of physical rage passed.

"Don't worry; your precious fire eater was not harmed in his quarrel with Basta. Although now he is sitting back in his cell."

A sigh of relief escaped her lips when Ann heard Dustfinger was alright. But, as she recalled Capricorns words as to that he was 'back' in his cell, guilt rushed through her. He finally had the chance to escape, but he risked being captured again for her sake.

"It's all my fault…"Ann whispered.

The tears from the earlier pain of her side were nothing compared to the pain she was feeling in her chest from heart ache. Somehow she kept managing to hurt those that cared and loved her and her them. Nothing was just so simple any more as it was when she was younger. How you could brush things off and be naive child you wanted to be. But those years for Ann were long gone. She hadn't been able to be carefree for two years.

Capricorn, surprised by the girl's sudden change of emotions, was shocked when he saw Ann's lowered head, shoulders shaking in sobs, and her clutching the bed sheets tight enough for her knuckles to turn white. He felt pity for the girl and decided that the only way to win her affections was to be comfort her when she needed it the most. That being now. So he gently grasped her chin and managed to catch what she was saying before she cut off.

_It's all my fault_

"Ann, none of this is your fault my dear."

"Yes it is. If it wasn't for me, Dustfinger would've never been captured, neither would have his friends. He wouldn't have been tortured in the church for disobeying you for my sake. And…" She let out a small sob. "He would've been able to escape when Basta attacked me. Instead, he saved and took me to the church to get help."

Ann was overwhelmed by her sadness and launched herself at Capricorns chest to cry into his shirt, not caring that this man was the main cause of her misery.

Capricorn on the other hand, though enjoying Ann's closeness, finally understood just the kind of pain he had managed to inflict on the girl that he claimed to care about. Not just physically, but mentally as well. He was the main cause for her blaming her self and beating herself over the pain that he started.

Once again he made the girl in front of him, clinging onto him; face him, with her emerald eyes staring at his silver, colorless ones. He could see that she was trying to be strong, but her will had taken a beating since her stay at the village. But it has also strengthened her in a way, forcing her to fight. That was why Capricorn adored Ann.

"Why do you think that all of this pressure should lie on your shoulders? Dustfinger made a choice to bring you to the church. If he hadn't I'm sure you could've been harmed much worse than you already are now. Even though I hate the man that you so adore, if he hadn't made that choice and many others, we both would've lost you…" he hadn't meant to say 'we', but it was too late to take it back now.

"It's just…" Ann took a deep breath and collected herself. Then, she smiled at him, surprising him for the millionth time that day.

"Ya know, I know I've told you this before, but you're always," she struggled with a word. "Softer when I'm around and no one else is. It's kinda nice. I just wish you wouldn't hit me so often." She instinctively reached up and stroked her left cheek; the purple seemed to stick out even more to Capricorn than the others.

"But I suppose that's my fault. I constantly get you angry all the time. I guess you could say I'm like a caged bird that sings songs cause its what I do. I just wanna 'fly'.

Resembling herself to a bird, made Ann laugh softly, but Capricorn seemed to become cold and looked away from Ann.

He remembered the night he came into Ann's room and kissed her on her forehead, thinking of her like a caged bird that only sang sad songs. Hearing Ann call his name softly, struck him out of his reverie.

"A-are you okay?" Ann thought that she had somehow managed to anger the black jacket leader. When she saw his hand rise, she closed her eyes, expecting pain on her facer, but as she slowly opened them she felt something soft instead.

Capricorn slowly and softly stroked Ann's cheek, a look of sadness on his features.

"I am sorry." He said lowly. Then before he did something he would regret, he stood up and looked down at Ann.

"I think its time you got something to eat. Seeing as the last you ate was yesterday at noon. Would you like the maids to bring you something, or dine at the church with me?" Even though Capricorn knew there was a slim chance that she would say yes to the latter, he still thought he should try.

Ann thought about it.

"Well, I really don't want any of the maids to have to fuss over me so…I guess I'll eat with you."

Joy spread through Capricorn

_She was actually 'choosing to be near him!_

But as Ann tried to stand from the bed, he saw how her legs were shaking and before she could fall, caught her. He yelled for the maids to bring her clothes. (Walking around with only bandages to cover was not something Capricorn wanted the others to see.)

Once she was dressed, he picked her up once more, but she yelled out anyway from the odd angle that her wrist and ribs were feeling.

"OWWWWWW! Damn this hurts!"

He chuckled at her colorful language, even if it was from the pain. It seemed as though the Black Prince never taught his daughter the proper way for a woman to act. But growing up with the Motley Folk, it was no surprise. And 'her' Dustfinger didn't seem to mind the way she talked, so he couldn't imagine the man teaching her anything proper.

Seeing that Ann had situated herself, Capricorn took her to the front of the church and sat her at the small table that was next to his throne. Then he ordered for his and her food to be brought out. Ann couldn't help but think what Dustfinger was fed in his cell or if he was fed at all.

Capricorn noticed, after there food was put in front of them, that Ann was merely staring at her food, her utensils sitting next to the steaming plate untouched much like her food.

"Is something wrong? Do you not like your food?"

"No! The foods fine, I…I was just wondering if Dustfinger was being fed." Capricorn had to resist the urge to roll his eyes in front of Ann. Leave it up to her to still think about the fire eater even after all of the nonsense was taken care of.

"Yes, as much as it kills me, your fire eater is being fed. He is given food three times a day. (Bread the size of a golf ball counts!) Now eat."

Even though Ann's worries were relieved, she couldn't help but notice Capricorn calling Dustfinger 'her' fire eater. She was about to ask him about it, when the front of the church doors open.

Capricorn, who seemed to have been expecting this, stood up. His figure towering over his men and Ann.

"Ahhhh, the entertainment has arrived. Men, I've thought about how well you have all served me and decided to give you all a very 'promising' gift."

The men who appeared from the opening of the door, walked in, dragging someone along with them. Once they stood at the center of the floor, they dropped the unfortunate person. A loud groan echoed from the figure.

Capricorn looked down at the man.

"Basta, how nice to see you again. Did you enjoy your time in the crypt? You look a little thin."

Ann gasped as Basta looked at his leader with dark sunken eyes, pleading with mercy.

"Stand him up, seeing as he no longer bows down before his Lord." Capricorn ordered. The men went to stand Basta up, but accidentally dropped him, earning another low, painful groan. But once they grabbed him, they forced him to stand. Ann couldn't believe that the man before her was the man who hurt her four days ago.

Basta was pale. He no longer looked like the young, energetic knifeman she knew. No, instead the man in front of her was weak, tired ghost like. His once dark hair even looked ashen, as if he aged in years not days. He also looked as if he hadn't eaten while he was in the crypt. Ribs were standing out through the mans ripped and torn shirt. Ann even noticed that his left arm hung limp at his side.

"Now, I know many of you have suffered through Basta's beatings. Am I correct?"

Cries and 'boo's' rang in Ann's ears.

"I assumed correctly. Now, Basta has been cruel to you all, these years. And seeing as how you all have been tortured by him, I think you all should get your share of beatings. Do you agree?"

Roars and cheers were the response.

The black jacket leader looked down upon Basta.

"Who's first?"

A large black jacket came up. Ann remembered him by the mans name of 'Steel Toe. The clanking of his heavy metal boots explained the name enough. Basta was brought to his knees, forced to stare up at his comrade. He made no noise, complaint, or response to what he knew was to come. Ann thought he looked close enough to be considered dead.

Then, suddenly, Steel Toe raised his leg and kneed Basta in the face. A loud crunching noise could be heard all the way to the back of the church where Capricorn and Ann sat. Basta's cry at the pain made Ann flinch.

When Basta tried to get back up and speak, blood gurgled from his mouth and nose, dripping onto the already crimson floor.

"Nicely done Steel Toe! Who else? Come on, many of you I know wish to cause this man in front of me pain." The man taunted, raising his arms and gesturing for others to come. And came they did. One after another walked up to their brother black jacket and beat him until it seemed the knifeman would've preferred death to the punishment he was receiving. And every time one of the struck, cut, or kicked Basta, Ann would flinch and look away while Basta's grunts and shouts of pain reached her ears.

Then, Slicer, one of Capricorns most brutal men, walked up to Basta, his knife in his hand gleaming and waiting for blood. That was all Ann could take.

Capricorn on the other hand could only sit in his throne and watch as Basta received punishment after punishment. He reveled in the blood dripping from his pale and boney body. It was true what was said, revenge was sweet. But all to soon the sweetness turned bitter as Ann rushed past Capricorn and down the small set of stairs to where Slicer was about to cut open Basta. She jumped in front of the bleeding man and stopped Slicer from progressing any further on his intentions.

"Ann, move aside and allow Basta to receive what he so likes to hand out." Capricorn said lazily, but keeping an eye on Slicer's knife.

"Yea. Movie it girly!" Slicer was getting impatient, waiting for the girl to move and let him have some fun.

"No! This is wrong! Can't you see he can't even defend himself? Please, just leave him alone. He's been beaten for long enough. Too long in my opinion. Just…send him back to the crypt or something. Just please, enough of this." She knelt down and tried to help Basta up, but the mans pride would not leave him. So he pushed her weakly with his one good arm.

"Get away from me wench. I don't need your help. You're the one that got me into this so leave me alone!" He tried once more to push her away, but Ann wouldn't stop trying to help him.

Capricorn watched the two. Part of him was confused that Ann would help the man who had caused her so much pain. And another part of him instantly turned to anger when Basta's only good arm shot out and caught a hold of Ann's hair and pulling her back, causing her to yell out and hit the ground. But Ann would not give up. She shakily stood up and walked over to Basta and then suddenly smacked him across the face! Basta's eyes growing wide as he gently cupped his now red cheek.

"Im trying to help you, you idiot! I know its my fault for you looking like you do know, but I wasn't the one who joined up with Capricorn in the first place! He's treated you like crap before, like leaving you in a cage to your death for the Shadow. You're the dumbass who came back to him and went on the stupid mission to find Dustfinger's friends. So don't you even dare say that everything that goes wrong in your pathetic life is my entire fault. You have a choice in what you do, and you chose the life of a black jacket. But," Ann stopped and made a quick glance at Capricorn. "for this," she gestured to his bruised and battered appearance. "I'm sorry."

Basta looked away, knowing her words were true, but refusing to admit it.

The atmosphere in the church was no longer blood lusting, but rather dull, and the black jackets no longer felt the excitement to hurt Basta.

But Slicer, furious at his loss of an audience as well as his loss of his fun, pushed Ann aside before she could move in front of him again, and used his knife to make a long deep gash across Basta's face. The scar ran from his left ear to the end of the right side of his nose.

"Now you and Dirtyfingers can compare scars together, seeing as you always loved to taunt him about them. Have fun 'Scarface'." Slicer walked away grumbling, leaving a howling and writhing Basta on the ground to grab his face in pain.

Capricorn was in rage! He had planned of this to have his revenge on Basta and to have Ann see the 'fun' as a way or getting back at Basta for what he had done to her. But all he had gotten to see was a few of his men torture Basta, and a bloody carpet.

"Mortola, get in here now!" Capricorn yelled.

The evil looking woman came walking slowly into the room; her face as usual was one of scorn and hatred at every person she saw.

"What do you need, My Lord?" She spat out the words venomously.

"Get him cleaned up and bandaged. We don't want to arrive in our world with such a ragged looking black jacket. Appearances are going to one thing that will first strike fear into those we will torment."

The vile woman's eyes almost seemed to pop from their sockets.

"You mean, we're going back?! When?"

"Tomorrow."

"NO! I will not fix this excuse for a man. Because I am not going back to that god-forsaken place."

Capricorn, who was taking his leave, turned back to face the woman he hated to call a 'mother'.

"What do you mean 'I'm not going back'?

"This world has so much more to offer Capricorn. It has guns, cars, and money! Oh so much money. You could easily become a ruler here! Why go back to a world where filth is everywhere you step? Where peasants crowed the streets in their filth. I'll tell you why! You're a coward! That's why your own father—

Mortola was silence and grasped her neck gagging. Capricorn had used his dark powers to silence the woman, choking his own mother.

"If you know what is good for you woman, you will hold your tongue. You wish to know why I changed my mind about this world? It's because this power I have now is weaker here. I can feel it. Plus, this world bore's me now, with its constant control over the law, how the people have rights. I grow tired of having to move place to place al because I killed some insignificant person!"

He released Mortola and she fell to the ground gasping. Her two closest maids assisted her to stand before she smacked them away.

"If you do not return with us Mortola, then you will no longer have a life to live. Its your choice.

She scoffed, "You would kill your own mother?"

Capricorn chuckled. "Why not? I killed my own father didn't I?

He walked over to the silent girl who had not moved from her spot besides Basta. She had managed to tear a piece of her shirt and gave it to Basta to soak up the blood from his face. He took it and grumbled out a 'thanks' but Ann wasn't paying any attention to him. The only thoughts that were running through her head were the ones that she hoped to come true ever since she arrived in this world.

_We're going home!?_

Alright you hoodinannies, time to R&R, you know what to do! I really appreciate those who have reviewed so far, you guys really make my day and make me what to try extra harder at Updating. Please review. I'll give you a cookie!!

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	17. Chapter 17

Alllllrrrrriiiigggghhhhttt! I'm so happy I finally go this chapter done! Finally the true plot begins! Trust me, during my french class, I went totally crazy with ideas for the next couple of chapters! I'm so proud of them, and I got excited just writting them! I really hope you guys will enjoy them...if not...I might just to suicidal (sp? see I'm alreayd going crazy) and jump off a building...it will be a one st. building ok! Anyways, the guys are finally leaving the damn village and Silvertounge and his family will no longer be a part of it. They werent exactly a major part of it, but necessary to the plot. But, things will finally start changing for Ann and Dustfinger (especially in the next one) and Capricorn begins will begin his planning. But thats the next chapter, sorry. This one though will be cute in a way.

Ok, enough of my blabbing, enjoy the chapter!

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Dustfinger, Silvertounge, Meggie, Resa, Elinor, and Ann all sat in the middle of the church, huddled and surrounded by the black jackets. Meggie was settled in between her father and mother, both holding her hands in a comforting way but Meggie couldn't help but feel hopelessness as she looked around her. Elinor on the other hand felt nothing but anger, and decided to let the black jackets know that as well.

"I hope you know you damned idiots that if you intend to use those guns of yours that you won't have a reader to get you back into that god-damned book."

The men had teased Elinor earlier in the day and had prodded her with the butts of the guns. They were shoving everyone with them. One of them even managed to prod a bit too hard on Resa and Mo almost killed the man. But the black jacket only laughed and pointed the gun at the bookbinder, telling him to get moving.

One of the men laughed and walked up to Elinor. "That doesn't mean we cant use the guns on 'you' or the girly over there." His gun pointed towards Meggie. Mo and Resa both pulled their daughter closer to them, as if to shield her incase he decided to use the weapon.

"You touch either of them and I will not read a word from the book. That includes harming Dustfinger and Ann." But Mo knew that they could've just disposed of him and use Meggie as a reader then. Seeing as the last time they were in the Village, Meggie had found out that she had her father's talent of reading things from stories. But Capricorn had told them that he intended on using 'Silvertounge' because he knew how to use his talent more than his daughter.

Speaking of the two fire eaters, they were sitting behind Mo. Ann sat in Dustfingers lap, his arms around her and his chin on her head. They had been silently talking to one another ever since they arrived in the church. Most of it was about Silvertounge.

"So…all he has to do is read a page from a book and things pop out from it?!" Ann asked in a shocked tone.

"Yep. That's all. Just a couple words from any book in this world and 'bam' something comes out of it!"

Ann stared at him as if expecting him to say 'just kidding', but after he just smirked at her for a while she finally knew he wasn't kidding.

"That's ridiculous, I can't believe that all he has to do is read a book and then we will be back home. There's no way that can happen. Besides, I don't think someone who looks like him will be able to have that power to do all of that."

Dustfinger looked surprised, "How do you think we got here!? Granted we don't know who the reader was that brought us to this world, still Silvertounge was the one that brought me in this world a couple years ago. And what do you mean 'looks like that', what do you think he should look like?"

Ann shrugged and averted her eyes away from Dustfingers dancing eyes full of humor. "I dunno…old, wrinkled, and mean. Just look at the scribes in our world. The ones that we saw from Ombrea were just vile old men that shouted at us for being around them. But he…he reminds me of father."

Dustfinger looked down at Ann, her eyes had a far away look to them. She was probably thinking of the Black Prince. It had been almost a year and a half since the last time she saw him. He knew that he probably missed Ann more than anything else in the world and was worried to death that something bad had befallen her. But he knew that Ann missed him just as much.

"Do you think he misses us?" She asked.

He laughed, "Of course he misses _you_, and I dare say he is glad that I'm gone. After all, I set his bears fur on fire so many times that the thing should be bald. He's relishing the absence of me."

"Oh shut up," Ann playfully punched Dustfinger on the arm. "You know he misses you. You're like a brother to him."

The fire eater merely laughed and ruffled her hair.

"I guess your right. Hey, how are your wounds? I'm sure their still pretty sore from a few days ago."

They're fine. My wrist is pretty much all better but my ribs are still a bit sore. I have to keep bandaging them to keep the from healing the wrong way."

She lifted her shirt a tad bit to let Dustfinger see the white cloth of the wraps. He couldn't help but blush a little bit looking at her flat stomach, but Ann didn't notice the sudden red tinge on his face.

"Other than that everything is fine. The bruises and cuts are all healing nice." She said, lowering her shirt once more and leaning back against Dustfinger, relishing in his warmth.

Ann thought about the times she spent with Dustfinger. That every time she did she would get a weird feeling in her stomach and she would constantly blush at everything he did or said. But now, after spending so much time away from him, she finally realized that he was a big part of her life. He was there when she first talked, walked, tried her first taste of fire honey, and so much more. Not having him there was like loosing air or something like that…

_He would never feel the same way. I mean he's known me since I was a baby. He probably thinks I'm like a little sister or something…I just wish—_

Ann was brought out of her thoughts by Dustfinger wrapping his arms around her and holding her as close as he could. She knew that his actions when he was around her were something that people usually never saw, and he was like a closed book. But, when he was around her it seemed like he opened up a little bit.

"I'm glad. I'm glad your not hurting anymore Ann. I can't stand to see you in pain, cause somehow it makes me feel like I'm hurting. I care about you so much that I would do anything to keep you from harms way. Ever since the day me and your father found you, I vowed that I would try with all my might that I would keep you safe. But, it's because of me that you end up hurt most of the time."

His voice was so sad, it almost made Ann cry that he would blame every thing that had happened to her all on himself. Anger over came her.

"Dustfinger, if I ever hear you blame yourself because I get hurt, ever again, I will personally make sure that your fingers will be broken and you will no longer have your hair. Oh! And once we get back, I will make you wear something with the color pink on it, maybe even keep your hair to dye it pink. Ya got that!"

He laughed and hugged her tighter. It amazed him how she could change peoples moods.

"Yea, I get sweetheart."

Mo had been watching the two and smiled when he saw Dustfinger laugh at something the girl Ann had said and it made him happy. He had never seen the fire eater smile and look so cheerful.

Meggie had seen her father looking over his shoulder at the two.

"Don't you think coming all the way here was worth it Mo, coming here to save Ann?"

Mo looked down at Meggie, her blue eyes shinning even after all they and been through. Sitting for several days in a far away house in the mountains with nothing but bugs, mice, and their guards to keep them company. Of course they got an earful from Elinor and how she was sick and tired of being yelled at and a gun pointed at her chest. But he was glad that Resa had been able to keep Meggie and Elinor entertained for a period of a time. Mo too enjoyed the tales she told with her hands and sometimes Resa and him would play a game, where one starts off a story and the others had to fill it in. It was all they could do to keep their minds off of the terror that they were experiencing again.

Elinor of all people immediately warmed up to the girl Ann when she saw how miserable she was in the village and how the girl ran/limped into Dustfinger's arms after they all were put inside of the church. And Resa introduced herself (with the help of Meggie) while Meggie said hi shyly, but the girls soon were acting as though they were sisters. Mo smiled and shook her hand, telling her how nice it was to meet her. Ann shyly shook his hand back and told him that it was nice to meet Dustfinger's 'friends'.

"Yes Meggie, it was worth it. Though I'm sorry you had to go and experience all this again. I never wanted you, your mother, or your aunt to have to ever do this again in your lifetime."

Meggie shook her head.

"No Mo, don't be sorry. I chose to go with you and Resa and now look. We're having another adventure! It's just like being in a book again, or at least in a book where men look like crows. Though I think Elinor could've done without another adventure. At least one where she wasn't constantly poked with a gun, or put inside dingy old houses." Meggie looked over at her aunt, who was now poking her finger in a black jackets chest and cursing loudly.

"Silvertounge, I think you better control the fat woman or one of them might just 'accidentally' shoot her." Dustfinger chuckled. Though he truly didn't mind the fat woman anymore, it didn't mean that he enjoyed listening to her talk.

Silvertounge nodded and got up to pull Elinor away before she really did get shot like Dustfinger had said. When Mo got up, Meggie and Resa stood and went to go and sit next to the two fire eaters while her father did about his business.

"Dustfinger, what's it like in your world? I've asked Resa, but reading it from her hands and writing isn't as realistic as actually hearing it from someone who lived there. She says that the only reason she couldn't explain it as well as you was because from what you told her when Mortola had her, was that she was in the bad part of the Inkworld."

"Your mother was stuck with Mortola? When Dustfinger was here?"

A lump grew in Dustfingers throat as he recalled the years when Resa was a maid for Mortola and he had a 'slight' attraction to her. It was the one memory, he had at one point, that he held used to hold dearly. But now realizing that he loved Ann, he wanted to put the memory at the very back of his mind.

"Yea, my mother used to be a maid here about two years ago. Of course when Mo, Elinor, and I were brought here, we had no idea that she was back out of the Inkworld. But some lousy reader was the one to bring her back, but he brought her back mute. So when we found her, her and Dustfinger had already known each other. She ended up in the Inkworld in the first place because when I was a baby, Mo was reading 'Inkheart' and she was read into the book, while Capricorn, Basta, and Dustfinger were read here. All of us eventually ended up here…but Dustfinger-

"I had made large mistake and fixed it in the end. Which Silvertounge was kind enough to read me back home and back to you."

Ann noticed how quickly Dustfinger had wanted to end that conversation and didn't pester him for more answers. She already knew of what Dustfinger had done on his first trip to this world. How he had betrayed Silvertounge in order to return home, only to be duped by Capricorn. This was why he helped Silvertounge in the end. She didn't think any less of him. Ann thought to herself that she might have done the same thing in his position if that meant that she would've been able to return home and back to her family.

"-ou just have to calm down sometimes Elinor. I know your upset, but you shouting and yelling at those men is not going to make this predicament any better. There's no point on making things any worse than they already are."

"Oh I know Mortimer, its just I cant believe that we're back here again for the match stick eater and his," Elinor looked at Ann, who had now found entertainment from some matches that she had found in Dustfinger's jacket. She was playing with them and not paying a bit of attention to anyone else. Dustfinger was starting deeply at the girl in his lap, and not even causing a glance towards the others. "Friend."

He expression only softened for a bit before she was back to her old self.

"Mo? How much longer do you think their going to keep us here? We've been here all morning and I'm-

A loud growl erupted from Meggie's small stomach which caused her to blush and wrap her arms around her stomach as if to muffle the noise.

"I agree with your grumbling tummy Meggie, my dear." Elinor said. "We've been here long enough. All of us are starving and all we've done so far is sit here and listen to those men who sound just like annoying twittering crows!"

"I car assure you that after today you will no longer have to wait for us to feed you or become a part of your lives any more. I promised Silvertounge that no harm would come to him and his family from this day. After all, how can we bother you all when all of us will be back in the book?"

Capricorn had somehow come into the church and was now passing by his men, who bowed as their leader passed.

"As soon as we are gone from your world, you Silvertounge, may leave with your family without any worries of a trap or any harm befalling you."

"What about Ann and Dustfinger? What will happen to them?" Silvertounge asked. As much as Silvertounge found it hard to believe, he actually still cared about a man who had almost taken his wife and his life away from him. But he knew that Dustfinger had only done those things to return to his life back in the Inkworld. And Ann and Meggie had become such fast friends that it hurt him to think that harm would come upon the girl whom they had come to save.

"What happens to these two in none of your concern as of this moment."

Silvertounge looked distraught while Meggie almost looked as if she was going to be brought to tears. Resa had to hold her daughter close to keep her strong. Elinor, of course, was not satisfied with Capricorns reply to Mortimer's question.

"The hell its not! The only reason we came to this place was to save this girl. I'll be damned if we leave this place without her and the matchstick eater."

"Then I guess, Madame, that you are damned. Flatnose, Cockerell, grab Ann and Dustfinger and bring them up here. Mortola, give Silvertounge the book. The reading begins now."

Flatnose and Cockerell both made a move towards the two fire eaters, but all of a sudden Basta, who no one noticed like when Capricorn had entered, grabbed Ann instead one of the other men. Dustfinger unfortunately was caught by Flatnose while Cockerell merely looked to Capricorn to see what he was going to do about the one 'rouge' black jacket.

"My Lord, please ally me to redeem myself. I know I have done wrong and I can assure you that it will never happen again. Just allow me to watch over the young miss." Basta gripped Ann with his one good arm and held her in a tight grip. Not too tight that Ann would've been in pain thankfully.

Ann looked at Basta. He looked a little better than the last time she saw him, but his arm that he wasn't using was wrapped up in a makeshift cast. His eyes though, they were still a bit dull looking.

"No! How can you even consider letting him watch over her if he was the one that caused her to be in such a bad condition last time!?

Basta glared at Dustfinger.

"Actually Basta. I've decided that I will be the one to look over her until we are in our world once more. Then, you might be able to redeem yourself and become on my 'good' side once more."

Capricorn walked down from his throne and took Ann's arm and started to drag her away from Basta.

"W-wait! I wanna stay with Dustfinger! I haven't got to see him since he too me to the church for my wounds! Please, I just got to see him. At least let me stay with him till we are back home." Ann looked at Capricorn pleadingly.

Capricorn was enraged. After all he had done for her, she chooses to stay with the matchstick eater. The one who left her with him, who caused her to feel alone the nights she stayed in the village.

"No! As I said, you will remain with me until we have returned to the book. Am I understood?" He gripped her arm harder than necessary. She winced and nodded.

"Yes Capricorn."

Dustfinger could only watch and stand next to Silvertounge as Ann was forced to stand next to Capricorn, who seemed to have a smug look on his face as he saw Dustfinger look and glare at him.

"Now, Silvertounge. I have the book that you are to read. Basta," He turned to look at the silent knifeman. "You are to stand besides him and make sure that he reads what he is supposed to."

"My lord, I would but…none of your men, including me, knows how to read."

Ann knew it would come to this. Capricorn had forbade any of his me from ever having to learn to read, incase they decide to get smart and revolt against him. It was all going to backfire on him now.

"Sir, why don't you get the little wench to make sure that he reads it right? She wants to go home, and the reader wants to make sure nothing happens to her. Why not her?"

Flatnose could be awfully smart sometimes and it only made Ann want to punch his face. If his nose wasn't already pressed to his face she probably would've done it.

"You think that I would risk letting you take and torture more of my friends and family just to get back at you? I want you out of this world just as much as you do!" Silvertounge said, Meggie, Resa, and Elinor stood by his side looking apprehensive.

"I'll do it. Even though I know he isn't going to try anything. If I were him I would want you out of here as soon as possible too."

Ann shook off Capricorns hand from her shoulder and walked in between the black jackets to the circle that had been formed around the others.

Dustfinger made no move towards her as she walked up to Silvertounge and suddenly embraced him and whispered something in his ear.

"Thank you. I wish I would've gotten to know you and your family better before all of this happened. I'm sorry that you had to go through all of this again. Meggie told me of how your wife was pulled into my world when she was a baby and how you tried to bring her back. If she was with the Motley Folk, I might have met her before she was read back. I'm just so sorry that all of this had to happen to you, Meggie, Resa, and Elinor."

Silvertounge could only smile and hug Ann back gently, taking care to watch her still healing ribs.

"There's nothing to be sorry for."

He patter her on the back as she walked away to go and hug Meggie, who in such a short time became like a sister in a way. Both girls cried silently when they hugged, and Resa made rapid hand movements when Ann went to hug her. She was telling Ann that she hoped all went well, and that she felt like a daughter to her. The three hugged all together, then Elinor and gave all of them a giant squeeze, making Meggie and Ann laugh.

Dustfinger still hadn't made a move over to Ann, but silently watched as she hugged Silvertounge's family goodbye, a family she only met a hour ago. But when she looked his way he smiled, she knew that he too wanted to embrace her, but kept his distance in case Capricorn suddenly took her back.

"Enough with the goodbyes. Its time that we return to the book and you return to your boring bookbinding likfe Silvertounge. Now read!"

Capricorn snatched something from the silent Mortola's hand, and tossed a green, plain, hardback book. It wasn't particularly big, but Ann felt a strange sensation from standing so close to the thing.

"I would much rather be a boring bookbinder than a murderer." Ann heard Silvertounge mumble. Then, very discreetly, he took a small flimsy piece of paper out of his pocket and put it on the page of the book, where Capricorn couldn't see it.

"What is that Silvertounge?" Ann whispered.

"Please, call me Mo. I swear I might just as well adopt the name Silvertounge, seeing as the only people that don't are Resa, Meggie, and her aunt."

Ann laughed quietly. "Ok Mo. What's that paper?"

"There was an author, the writer of your world where you came from. His name was Fenoglio. We met him on our last encounter with Capricorn. I found out that Dustfinger had asked the man to write a small part that had your name in it, so that when he was returned to the book, he would immediately go to where you were. I didn't know about it until Dustfinger showed up at my door step explaining some read you and him into the world again. The only thing that he didn't know whas who the person was that read the two of you here, but he also cant remember who read him back in. I didn't know how to at the time, so it wasn't me. But we do need this paper in order for you to be able to return with the others."

Ann nodded. She understood it now, well most of it anyways.

"Enough with the whispering Silvertounge. Start reading, before I start killing. Beginning with the fat woman."

"Alright, alright." Mo said. He then cleared his voice, and everything that Ann saw in the church suddenly disappeared when he began to read from the book in his hands. Resa, Meggie, Elinor…All of them vanished, and the sounds and colors from her world flooded her mind. Mo's voice was so clear and loud, it sounded beautiful to her ears. She noticed though, that Dustfinger and the black jackets had the same expressions on their faces when he read. One of awe and amazement. Then, as quickly as it began, it was all over. Only, Mo and his family were no longer with them.

Everyone opened their eyes (they couldn't remember when they had closed them) and looked around them. As soon as their eyes adjusted, the bright light seeping through the trees shone the river, the blue sky, and every familiar thing came rushing back to Ann in a almost knee-buckling excitement.

They were home!

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You know what they say, THERES NO PLACE LIKE REVIE-I MEAN HOME! lol, I'm like super hyper/crazy right now and I havent even had my three redbulls

But review, and maybe I will be influenced to post the next chaper up faster! After all, I have a damn notebook filled with the ideas for Inkfire, and with your help I just might make it even better!


	18. Chapter 18

_*sigh*_ Ok, all of my readers out there that have been waiting for this update, I first want to give you all my apologies for not updating sooner, for I have no excuses besides the fact that I have been slacking. And as for punishment, I shall go to Algebra tomorrow and actually pay attention. **NO, HAVE NO MERCY ON ME!** _*cough*_ Now that that's out of my system, here is chapter 18 with the main characters back into the Inkworld. Surprises will start appearing more often now and I truly have many other chapters written, its just getting them on the computer that I hate. Plus with soccer going on, I kinda lose track of what I should be doing for my readers out there.

Oh! And by the way, for those of you that actually give me ideas of who you want Ann to end up with, I have a poll on my page now so that I can actually see who most of you want Ann to end up with. If you want you can vote there and still tell me. Either way I would rather look at the poll and see. But I'll shut up now, so ENJOY!

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"Damn it! I told that Silvertounge to read us into Ombra! Now we are stuck here in the Wayless Woods, having to trek all the way through the godforsaken forest just to find a decent civilization!" Capricorn shouted, kicking a nearby log and scaring away a flock of birds as he shouted his rage. He resembled a child having a tantrum after not having his way. It was not like the black jacket leader to act in such a way, but he must have been frustrated after having to wait even longer for his plans to be carried out.

Dustfinger, while seeming amused by Capricorns actions, did remember very important hints that would very much save their lives (not that he cared what happened to the rest of them, just him and Ann) and get them out of the Wayless Woods in one piece.

"Capricorn, I know that we've just returned but do you not remember that the elves and nymphs do not appreciate being woken at this hour? And if I recall correctly, the forest trolls are not very happy when people scare away their afternoon meal."

Many of the black jackets that had returned with the rest of them, grabbed their guns and looked into the trees that surrounded them.

Ann and Dustfinger, though stuck with a group that they detested, each had a smile on their face. It may have not been the first place that they would've wanted to end up in after being gone so long, but any place was fine with them as long as they were back where they belonged. Not too far, Dustfinger noticed a nest of fire elves buzzing around an oak tree. Their nest was a simmering red and the creatures were constantly buzzing in and out of the thing. Their glowing figures were becoming more prominent as the sky grew darker.

"My Lord, I'm afraid we'll have to wait until sunrise to continue treading through the forest. Its dusk and the nightmares and wolves will be out and about looking for food and prey." Cockerell said each word with revulsion. It was no surprise that he was going to have to teach the others the ways of their world, and he was going to hate every minute of it. But some of the black jackets were new and didn't understand exactly what they had gotten themselves into.

"Go and get some wood you lot. You don't want to be stuck in these woods with no fire to keep some things at bay. I'll come along to make sure none of you dip-shits get yourselves killed while poking around looking for wood." Cockerell and the others stood and heading into the trees, most hesitant at hearing the sounds of the night start to echo across the Wayless Woods.

After a while, Ann decided to speak up and break the silence that had settled over them after the others had left.

"You didn't have to send them away Capricorn…you know we can start a fire any where now that were back." Ann and Dustfinger had both taken a bit of the fire elves honey and had practiced making little flames on their fingertips and were talking in the unknown language.

"You think I don't know that my dear? The men have to learn what their going up against, so why not have a couple of nightmares come and put them in their place for some of the over confident ones. I will not have men along my side unless they can stand it here. This is why I brought Basta with us as well. He may be an idiot, but he knows his way in our world."

The said 'idiot' had remained silent the entire time they had returned. Not one yell, comment, or insult to others or to anyone. Ann almost missed his old self, but changed her mind when she saw that Basta had noticed her glance at her and gave her a leer of his own. Dustfinger seemed to be relishing the silence from his old foe as he sat down on a fallen log and put his hands together and slowly pried them apart, making a small fire flower bloom in his hand. Ann walked over and sat down on the ground beside him and laid her head on Dustfingers lap, like she used to do when she was younger.

The older fire eater extinguished his fire flower to stroke Ann's hair and lull her into a state of calm and peace.

Capricorn could only watch in disgust and envy as Dustfinger stroked Ann's hair and her weary eyes began to close. Soon, Ann was fast asleep.

"Your men sure are taking quite a bit of time trying to find some firewood. Soon I'm just gonna light a small fire for myself. I don't know about you, but I don't feel up to—

Dustfinger was cut off from making his fire larger as Capricorns hand shot up, with a familiar black surrounding it, and chocked him. The black jacket leader smirked when he saw that the fire eater couldn't breathe the precious air.

"I'm very tired of your tiresome attitude and smirks Dustfinger. In fact, if you weren't so valuable to my plans then I would take sweet pleasure by snapping that neck of yours. Then, I would feed your body to the wolves. You know how they enjoy fresh meat."

Dustfinger managed a small chuckle. "But there's another reason isn't there? Another reason why you won't kill me."

"And what would that be?"

"Ann."

Both men became silent, Capricorn glaring at the man being held by the neck, while the other examined the pale man before him.

"What about her?" Capricorn asked. Basta seemed attentive now and it reminded Dustfinger of the time the old author Fenoglio was telling everyone in the church of Capricorns past and of his family. Except this time it was only the three of them and a sleeping Ann. She amazingly had remained asleep while her 'pillow' was being choked.

"You know what I mean. You care about her. More than just a tool or an item. I've seen the way you look at her, how you are overprotective of her, and how violent you become when someone even touches her. You care about her no matter what you say."

Capricorn tried to mask his surprise that Dustfinger had managed to notice all the things that he tried so hard to cover. He wondered if Ann truly knew what he thought about her. But he had to try and make Dustfinger think that his assumptions were wrong.

"You think I care about someone who's family consists of the Motley Folk and freaks? I only wish to get her on my side and allow her to see my way so that I may rule what is rightfully mine."

Dustfinger scoffed. Now the black jacket leader was trying to cover everything up.

"You care about her enough that you killed, and tortured your 'army' of black jackets because they touched her. Even your most loyal.

"She is a possession, nothing more."

"Stop fooling yourself Capricorn, because your fooling no one. Your own men are even noticing changes in you. They've seen how you go all soft around her. How you watched over her every day while she was in recovery, how you took care of her. If she's a mere possession, then you wouldn't be so jealous of her always wanting to be near me.

I heard you even struck her in the face because she was asking for you to set me free."

Capricorn made no comment to anything the fire eater said, but the anger shone in his eyes. Now Basta, due to the black jacket listening all along to Dustfingers ranting, knew about his softness around the girl (though he had known all along). He could see Basta grinning from the corner of his eye, from the pain he was causing Dustfinger or the information he had learned he didn't know, but he didn't like it all the same.

"To prove me wrong about you not caring about Ann, or being jealous of others, allow her to walk with me tomorrow. After all you've tortured her enough."

"Enough! I have not tortured her, I have…"

Both men had quieted down. Capricorn abruptly stood up, releasing the hold on Dustfinger's neck.

"My Lord I hear shouts coming nearby." Basta said. He reached for his knife on his hip pocket. The gleam from the sharp piece of metal gleamed in the shadows because of the small fires reflection.

"What the hell is going on?!"

A knife flew from the shadows and hit a tree that had been only a few inches from Dustfingers head. All of a sudden men came running from the trees, dressed in black and covered in dirt and grime. Jackets and guns were slung over their backs, some flecked with blood.

"Bandits!" Dustfinger shouted. Ann, now awake to the sound of Dustfingers shouts, jumped up when she saw the rugged looking men come running from the shadows of the trees. Some of them were wearing familiar looking guns and black leather jackets with speckled blood on them, making her wonder what had happened to those who went to look for the fire wood.

Basta, when he saw the men, immediately began slashing at any man crossing his path, while Dustfinger was merely making the men unable to fight. Him not being of the killing type.

Ann's eyes flickered to Capricorn just in time to see him sprinting towards her.

She felt a fresh stab of fear wash over her before she told herself to run, and she did. She ran for the only safety that could be offered to her, the Wayless Woods.

Dustfinger had unarmed a man trying to punch him, and turned to look for Ann to see if she was harmed, but he instead saw her looking at Capricorn, not noticing the bandit sneaking up on her. But she was only looking at Capricorn who too saw the bandit. He took off towards Ann when she started to back away and she headed straight for the trees when she thought that the black jacket leader was heading for her.

Running into the Wayless Woods at night without protection would usually be instant death.

"Basta!"

"What do you want Dirtyfingers!" The knifeman yelled.

"We need to go after Capricorn and Ann."

"And why should I listen to you? Your nothing but a lousy fire eater who comes around and runs away from danger!"

"Listen to me damnit!" Dustfinger yelled, before kicking an unlucky bandit in his back then knocking the mans' head into a tree to make the man unconscious. "Ann ran into the woods with Capricorn on her tail because he saw a bandit sneaking up on her. She thought Capricorn was after her so she took off. We need to go after them. You owe her!" I heard she saved you from having a face like mine. The least you could do is suck up your pride and help her. Because if I was in her spot, I would've let them kill you."

Dustfingers voice was dark and he gripped the front of Basta's shirt in a tight hold.

"And, if you do, Capricorn might let you go back to the way things were before all of this shit ever happened."

Basta avoided Dustfingers glare. Then, like his old self, snarled and ripped Dustfingers grip from his shirt.

"First, let's go save the little 'sweetheart'. Your right, I do owe her something, but after this no more of this 'working together' thing.

Dustfinger smiled, a rare occurrence when around the man who cut his face.

"Truce, for now?" He held his hand out.

"Truce…for now." Basta grasped Dustfingers hand and squeezed tight enough for Dustfinger to flinch in pain.

Ann's breathing was becoming haggard as she pushed herself to run faster and faster farther into the Wayless Woods. She could hear Capricorn rushing after her, practically on her heels. How he could keep up with her when he didn't get any exercise, astounded her, but she supposed his powers helped out somehow. But besides that, the only thing on her mind was to how to avoid getting caught by him and where to go to get away.

_'Where's that disappearing trick that Dustfingers knows when you need one?'_

Then, an idea struck her! Quickly make a turn and hide before Capricorn sea's that she was no longer running.

"Why keep running when you can hide and let him run by." Ann mumbled to herself. Then, she launched herself to the nearest tree after she turned into a thicket. She went to the tree and hid in the giant hollow hole in the trunk that was as tall as her, but large enough for her to slip in. The sound of footsteps came closer and closer to her, before she could suddenly no longer hear the sound of crunching leaves and heavy breathing.

"Where did it go?" She whispered to herself.

Not wanting to be stuck in the hollow, Ann slipped out, and looked around the corner of the tree slightly, trying to see if Capricorn had found out her plan.

When she saw no one, she was about to take off in a sprint, but a hand clasped around her mouth and waist, holding her close to the body behind her. Ann's muffled cries couldn't be heard over the pale hand covering her mouth, and then a very soft voice came closer to her ear and whispered. She could feel the person's breath.

"Ann, be very quiet." Capricorn said.

Ann still didn't know about the bandit that had been chasing her and it was the reason that Capricorn was sprinting after her, so she continued to struggle even though she knew Capricorn was the one holding her. She was just more concerned as to what she thought he was going to do to her to care about what he told her to do.

He whispered something softly and removed his hand from around Ann's mouth. She immediately tried to shout out, but she found that she couldn't. And when she tried to move her feet, she found that they were stuck as well. She was trapped and could do nothing while Capricorn continued to have a very stern face as he looked around.

_What's he looking for? Aren't I the only reason he chased me all the way in the woods?_

"Mmmm!" Ann tried to speak, but Capricorn paid no attention to her, he was only looking at their surroundings.

Chirps, howls, clicks, and the sound of a river nearby were all that Ann could hear coming from the surrounding trees. But then she heard the familiar sound of soft footsteps crunching on the newly fallen leaves that were beginning to shrivel.

The black jacket leader was very stiff and seemed to hear the footsteps as well because all of a sudden his hands took on a familiar hue of pitch black

The snap of a twig seemed to make everything in the forest stop and a dead silence fell over the Wayless Woods. Capricorn made a sudden movement into the shadows, his black suit making him blend in

Ann stood still, breathing quickly through her nose due to the magic holding her mouth shut. Her eyes were darting back and forth looking for the hidden Capricorn and the source to the twig snapping. But all she could see was trees, some fireflies, the shadows from the moons gleam coming through the leaves, and a occasional bat flying by.

_What's going on? Why did Capricorn chase me all the way out here, only to shut me up and hold me still then disappear?_

Just as Ann was beginning to think that the black jacket leader had gone and forgotten her, Capricorn burst through the trees just as a whizzing noise came by her. Capricorn jumped in front of her and held her close while a dull thunking noise was heard and the man in front of her let out a pained gasp. Capricorn slowly was going to his knees and then Ann saw what had happened.

Five small throwing knives were sticking out of Capricorns back, each one starting to bleed quickly, drenching the French suit in a deep crimson color.

"Mmmmpfff!"

The bandit finally revealed himself from the trees, a grin on his face showing his yellow and black teeth.

"It's 'bout time I got that damn man! Been chasing me throughout this hole damn forest. But now," The bandit walked in a slow step towards the panicking Ann, and the pained Capricorn. "I got me a nice pretty lil thing to take to the merchants now. We'll find ye a nice lil 'ome to give ya."

Ann was shaking as the bandit came closer and was about to grasp Ann's chin, his accent as thick as the smell of whiskey on his breath, when Capricorns hand shot up and grasped the bandit by the collar of his shirt and raised him to look the man in the face.

"Do…not…touch…her." Capricorn rasped his voice thick and heavy. His appearance was changing as much as his voice was, with his pale hands slowly turning black, along with his face, neck, and hair. The only thing that remained the same were the mans eyes, who continued to glare and the now petrified bandit.

"P-please let me go! I weren't the one trying to start nothin, it was all George and the others. They forced me to come along and steal along with the likes of 'em."

"And I'm supposed to believe that you are the victim? I doubt that, now for your punishment."

"What for? I didn't do nothin to the likes of ye besides chasin you and the lass through the woods!"

"Do not think that I didn't hear what you had in store for the young miss behind me. For I heard every word and now that I think about the kinds of things that you and your comrades would've done to her before even getting her to the markets, I can assure you that I have a suitable punishment for the likes of scum such as yourself."

"Would it be to let me go with cuts and bruises?" The bandit said, somewhat hopefully but stupidly as well.

"…how about death?"

The bandit shouted as Capricorn laughed darkly. The bandit's body was slowly turning black as well, but his body was slowly disintegrating and shriveling like a raisin. Ann had to close her eyes when the man finally realized what was happening to him and he tried to struggle out of Capricorns grasp. Even though the man was going to try and kill Capricorn and sell her, she still thought that a quick death was better than what he was getting.

After a while the mans cries died and Ann finally got the courage to open her eyes. What she saw was no longer a mans body, but a pile of ash lying on the ground right beside her feet. Shock came to her once she saw that Capricorn had collapsed on the ground and was trying to hold himself up but was barely managing to do so. The color of his skin had managed to return to him, but his back was still a bloody mess and his breath was coming in ragged.

"C-Capricorn?"

The black jacket leaders' eyes immediately looked up at the girl almost as if she was a threat. His shoulders tensed and he stood tall and loomed over her. His black hand reached out to her and Ann though for a second that he was going to kill just as he killed the bandit, but then he seemed to notice that it was her and he calmed down and stroked her face softly.

"Ann…are you alright? You are not harmed?"

"N-no, I'm fine. But what about you? Your back still has the knives in them."

Capricorn merely shrugged and then took a step to try and get closer to her when he noticed the sudden piercing pain erupting from his back." He hissed.

"Then I will ask if you would be so kind as to pull them out because they are causing quiet a bit of pain, now. Ann," he looked over his hunched shoulders to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"You're going to have to pull hard. They are very deep in my back and if you try and pull them out slowly I'm only going to feel more pain, so make it swift and put pressure on your pull."

Capricorn made it seem so simple, pulling some knives out of somebody's back like picking flowers, but Ann soon found it to be hard just as Capricorn had said, because the little daggers had embedded themselves deep in his skin and she had to use more force to get them out of him than she wanted too. Every time one came out, she saw the man flinch and clench his jaw tightly so as to not let out a groan of pain.

_One…two…three…four…_

The first four came out fine and swiftly, but as Ann got to the last one, she found it to be the deepest and she had to lay her other hand on Capricorns back to keep herself stable so she wouldn't cause any unnecessary movements that would shift the dagger. Then with a big pull she managed to get the dagger out of Capricorns back.

The black jacket leader let out a sigh then collapsed on the ground, moaning softly in pain. His back was still slightly bleeding and Ann knew if she didn't stop the blood flow, he would pass out or even possibly die.

_'But if he died, Dustfinger and I would never be bothered by him again! Mo and his family could truly live in peace, the people in Ombrea could live without fear, and...'_

"I'm not that type of person, no matter who it is." Ann whispered.

So she knelt down by Capricorn and gently pried him up.

"Come on Capricorn. We have to get out of here. I know you're hurt but if we stay in the woods any longer without any fire or protection we're going to end up a lot worse. Especially with you bleeding everywhere. Now come on, just lean on me and we'll manage to get out of here."

Even though every nerve in Ann's body was telling her not to let this particular man so close to her, it was the only way she could support them both and still walk at the same time. So she wrapped her arm around his waste, with his arm over her shoulder and the other being held onto by her other arm, they set off at a slow but progressing pace through the Wayless Woods.

Silence was all that Ann heard while continuing to tromp through the woods with a grown man leaning on her shoulder for support.

"Ann…You don't have to carry me." Capricorn rasped.

Ann scoffed.

"If I don't carry you, who will? The fairy's? I think not. Besides," Ann sighed. "I couldn't just leave you there to bleed to death. Even someone like you doesn't deserve that."

Capricorn was truly shocked that Ann, who had been beaten, taken from her home, and kept in the hands of black jackets for several months, would save the man who caused all of her trouble. But he appreciated it, no matter if she cared or not.

"Thank you anyhow Ann." He whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her cheek.

Ann blushed and nudged his head away from hers.

"Knock it off or I'll shove you off of me and make my own way through the woods, seeing as you have enough energy to flirt and talk."

But Capricorn just chuckled then remained quiet the rest of the night.

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R&R and I will try and remember to update much sooner. I apologize once more for making all of my great readers out their wait on me to get my stupid ass in gear and finish writing. Dont forget about the poll, if you wanna give me an idea of who you want Ann to end up with! Salut!


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